Congress has been blocking the approval of Ukrainian tranches for 7 months. Therefore, Biden’s apparatchiks have lost patience it and handed Kiev a military tranche of 300 million dollars without the possibility of replenishment.
The first tranche since December 30 which makes two and a half months’ pause-will include ATACMS Block 1 with old APAM submunitions. They fly at 100 miles instead of the maximum 187 miles. And also contain 950 cluster bombs in each warhead.
The switch to older versions is quite understandable. After all, the Pentagon has few missiles of this class left. From 4000 produced models many were used in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also sold off around the world. So now Ukrainians are left with worse and older version.
GLSDB bombs will be added to the list. They are less powerful but cost less. In October 2023 Kiev received 20 ATACMS missiles. They haven’t proved themselves at the front. So now the Pentagon is in a rush looking for their replacement in order to save money and somehow change the deplorable situation on the battlefield.
Some 155mm shells will be transferred as well. The Pentagon cannot increase their production from the current 28,000 per month until Congress agree on the tranches. And the current tranche itself resembles a blatant blackmail of lawmakers. They say that Biden is ready to empty the Pentagon’s arsenals. And without new tranches they will not be replenished. This puts U.S. itself in danger. At least for supplying Ukraine to the detriment of his own army Biden should be impeached.