Pentagon: Latest Batch of Ukrainian Military Aid Will Cause ‘Morale Problems’ for Russia
The Pentagon announced another $270 million in aid for Ukraine on July 25.
The military aid includes even more HIMARS launch vehicles, small arms, and howitzer ammunition.
The Department of Defense linked military aid to Ukraine and a prolonged war to sinking morale in the Russian Army.
On Monday, the Department of Defense released yet another tranche of military aid to Ukraine. The $270 million arms package consists of $175 million in equipment pulled from U.S. military stocks, and a further $95 million from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a special fund set up to facilitate transfers of military aid to the beleaguered country. In total, the United States has poured or committed to pour $9.8 billion into Ukraine to help it fight back against Russian invasion.
The aid builds on Ukrainian successes on the battlefield, sending in more anti-tank weapons and HIMARS vehicles, while including ammo for weapons already deployed in-country. The Pentagon also claimed that the war, now in its fifth month, is causing serious morale issues in the Russian Army, including desertions.
What Does the Latest Aid Package Include?
-Four More HIMARS systems, for a total of 16. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) has proven spectacularly effective in Ukraine, traveling toward the front lines at night and unleashing precision salvoes of 227-millimeter rockets at Russian targets. Ukraine claims it struck 50 artillery dumps with HIMARS rockets in an attempt to starve Russian guns and rocket launchers. This has resulted in a noticeable decrease in artillery fire in some sectors of the front line.
-Up to 580 more Phoenix Ghost drones. Phoenix Ghost drones were originally sent to Ukraine in April 2022, and the Ukrainians have reportedly made “excellent use” of them. Almost nothing is known about Phoenix Ghost, and there are no photos of the drone. The Pentagon and manufacturer Aevex are tight-lipped about the nature of the drones, only stating they exist and the numbers provided to Ukraine. What we do know is that it is a loitering munition, otherwise known as a “suicide drone.” It is launched from the ground, uses a two-way data link, and is designed for one way trips only. Once a target is located, the drone rams the target and detonates a high explosive warhead.
-Four Command Post vehicles. Ukrainian forces will receive four command post vehicles of an unspecified kind. These are almost certainly M577 command post carriers, a 1970s-era armored vehicle designed to house an army unit’s leadership and staff. The M577 is basically an M113 armored personnel carrier with a ceiling tall enough to allow soldiers to stand inside. It also includes fold-out tents to increase workspace and a generator to power radios and other electrical devices. These will probably go to the same Ukrainian unit operating the 200 M113 vehicles donated several months ago.
-Thirty-thousand 105-millimeter howitzer rounds. The United States has delivered both 155-millimeter caliber M777 towed howitzers and 227-millimeter guided rockets to Ukraine. Why is it sending smaller 105-millimeter howitzer rounds? The rounds are part of a cooperative arms package put together by the U.S. and United Kingdom. The U.K. is providing 36 L119 lightweight towed howitzers and 50,000 rounds of ammunition, while the U.S. is providing 30,000 more rounds of ammunition. The M119 guns are smaller and more mobile than the larger M777 guns.
-Miscellaneous equipment. The Pentagon also said it was shipping “additional anti-armor weapons, spare parts, and other gear.” The anti-armor weapons likely include more Javelin missiles and unguided AT4 anti-tank rockets. As Ukrainian forces increase their holdings of American equipment, they will need more spares, so the “spare parts” could be anything from armor plates for HIMARS trucks to replacement barrels for M777 howitzers. This is a category that will continue to grow in time and last long after the war ends.
How Ukrainian Military Aid Is Affecting the Russian Army
The United States government has released more than a dozen tranches of military aid to Ukraine. Unusually, the latest Department of Defense news release on this aid package included several paragraphs on morale in the Russian military. The Pentagon reports that, “We continue to see increased signs of discipline and morale problems in the Russian army.”
Perhaps most interesting of all, the report states, “When it comes to Russian morale, the official said there are many reports that detail soldiers at all levels deserting posts or refusing to fight.” This suggests that, in addition to privates, sergeants, and other lower ranks refusing to fight, higher officer ranks have been affected. That could include captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels—ranks that typically command the Russian Army’s vaunted battalion tactical groups.
The big question is whether an army experiencing insubordination at this rate can win on the battlefield.
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