Photo: Collected
The rush to fast-track $6 billion in military aid to Ukraine on Friday (26 April) reflects the panic felt by the Biden administration and in Congress that the Zelenskyy regime's forces are collapsing amid reports that Russia's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now proving successful at targeting and destroying US-supplied Abrams Main Battle Tanks, veteran UK diplomat, former ambassador and political commentator Peter Ford said.
"The haste to release billions of dollars of funds for Ukraine betrays US alarm at the dire situation facing its client state on the battlefront," he said on Friday.
On Tuesday, the US Senate passed a $95 billion bill containing approximately $61 billion in Ukraine-related funding, including via a loan. US President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on Wednesday.
The US Department of Defense later unveiled a $1 billion military aid package for Kiev, including cluster munitions and air defense supplies.
In addition, the Pentagon announced on Friday its largest-ever $6 billion military aid package that will include interceptors for Ukraine's Patriot and NASAMS systems, more counter-drone systems, significant amounts of artillery ammunition, and air-to-ground munitions.
However, the move came amid reports that the Ukrainian armed forces moved Abrams tanks from the frontlines due to threats from Russian drones.
Ford observed that the rush to send so many more advanced weapons systems to Ukraine came hard on the heels of these reports.
"The announcement coincides with reports that the Ukrainians are withdrawing US Abrams tanks from the front because they have shown themselves to be vulnerable to drone attack," he said.
However, the main US defense contractors were oblivious to the multiple failures of their weapons systems on the battlefields of Ukraine and were only interested in further expanding their already enormous profit margins, Ford said.
"Never mind, the main aims are being achieved. Not to help Ukraine - how naive! - but to stuff billions of taxpayer dollars down the gullet of the arms manufacturers," he said.
The other purpose of the otherwise futile and too late new arms package was to give Biden domestic credibility before his reelection campaign against former President Donald Trump this fall, Ford explained.
The $6 billion arms package was therefore meant "to make Biden look resolute and consistent as he positions himself for the presidential election campaign," he said.
The people of Ukraine once again had become the victims of cynical and ruthless US political manipulations and intrigues, Ford advised.
Messenger/Mumu
