$165 million worth of ammunition

US State Department approves foreign military sale of $165 million worth of ammunition to Ukraine 

From Barbara Starr, Ellie Kaufman and Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department approved a foreign military sale to Ukraine of $165 million worth of “non-standard ammunition” Monday, according to a release from the State Department. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the sale on April 24, the release said.

The move was relayed to the Ukrainians during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s trip to Kyiv over the weekend.

A senior Defense Department official told reporters on Sunday that “it's the kind of ammunition that the Ukrainians still use because they had so many of their systems are ex-soviet.” 

“The proposed sale will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of its forces," according to the State Department press release.

The announced sale is just one of several ways the US is providing Ukraine with military assistance. On Thursday, US President Joe Biden authorized another $800 million of military assistance to support Ukraine using presidential drawdown funding. 

Ukraine has requested to buy “various rounds of non-standard ammunition” including, but not limited to, “152mm rounds for 2A36 Giatsint; 152mm rounds for D-20 cannons; VOG-17 for automatic grenade launcher AGS-17; 120mm mortar rounds (non-NATO); 122mm rounds for 2Sl Gvozdika; BM-21 GRAD Rockets; 300mm rounds/rockets for MLRS "Smerch;" VOG-25 grenades for under barrel grenade launcher GP-25; 82mm mortar rounds; 125mm HE ammunition for T-72; 152mm rounds for 2A65 Msta; transportation; and other related elements of logistical and program support,” the release said.