DOD Announces Additional Aid for Ukraine, Assesses 1,000 North Korean Casualties in Russia's Kursk Region

View Online DOD Announces Additional Aid for Ukraine, Assesses 1,000 North Korean Casualties in Russia's Kursk Region Dec. 30, 2024 | By Matthew Olay The Defense Department today announced it will be providing close to $2.5 billion in additional new security assistance support to Ukraine intended to reaffirm the department's commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression.   The latest aid package includes a $1.25 billion presidential drawdown authority package, as well as $1.22 billion in additional funds through the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told members of the media this morning.  "Together, these packages deliver critical capabilities such as air defense systems, munitions for artillery and rocket systems, anti-tank weapons, unmanned aerial systems and more," Singh said.  She added that the aid packages mark the current administration's 73rd drawdown package and the 23rd package provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development.  " our continued efforts with our over 50 allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to be successful on the battlefield and to defend its sovereignty," Singh said.   Founded under the direction of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the UDCG is a coalition of some 50 nations that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine's security needs.   Austin intends to convene the 25th meeting of the UDCG alongside Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in the new year where the capability coalitions will lay out their roadmaps toward "efficient and sustainable support for Ukraine," a senior defense official said earlier this month.  When asked as to whether Austin intends to brief whomever the next administration's incoming defense secretary is regarding the value of assistance the UDCG provides to Ukraine, Singh said that — while she can't speak for the incoming secretary and whether that person might request a conversation on the UDCG — there are many people working within DOD who understand the importance of the group.   "The UDCG continues to be a convening forum to work with allies and partners in finding and providing Ukraine with what it needs, and working together as multiple countries literally come around the table," Singh said.  Also, during the briefing, Singh remarked that DOD concurs with a recent White House assessment of how many North Korean casualties there have been as a result of fighting against Ukraine in Russia's Kursk region.  "The White House recently announced that approximately 1,000 soldiers have either been killed or wounded in the Kursk region. That's our assessment as well," Singh said.  She added that the assaults the North Korean soldiers are launching in the region are not proving significantly effective, and that the North Koreans are taking on a "significant amount" of casualties.

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