US prepares $375 million arms aid package for Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister asserts Moscow and Beijing do not need to form a military alliance.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that military cooperation between Russia and China has been successful without the need to establish any formal alliance.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. - Photo: mid.ru

According to TASS on September 21, Lavrov stated: "We are frequently asked about the formation of a military alliance. However, we don't need that. The two countries conduct regular military exercises." He emphasized that the two countries' militaries can coordinate effectively, understand each other, and carry out joint operations without the need for alliances like NATO.

The Russian Foreign Minister also stated that the current ties between Russia and China are at their best in the history of bilateral relations and are strategic in nature.

On September 9, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced joint exercises with the Russian navy and air force this month, including the "North-Joint 2024" exercise scheduled to take place in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, although specific dates have not yet been announced.

Meanwhile, on September 12, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that its navy and China had conducted live-fire exercises targeting sea and air targets as part of the Ocean 2024 exercise.

The German government will equip aircraft with missile defense systems.

According to information from the German news agency Spiegel on September 20th, the German government will install a missile defense system on three new A350 aircraft, intended for use by high-ranking leaders. The German Ministry of Defence plans to submit a related contract to the parliamentary budget committee for approval of the program by the end of this year.

Three Airbus A350 aircraft will be primarily used by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock - Photo: Airbus

Three Airbus-manufactured A350 aircraft will be primarily used by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The equipped defense system will utilize infrared technology to neutralize incoming missile seekers through laser pulses.

This high-tech system, developed by the Israeli company Elbit, has been installed on several other military transport aircraft. The installation will be carried out in stages to avoid all three aircraft being decommissioned simultaneously. The last of the three aircraft was delivered to the German military in June.

The German Ministry of Defence has not yet responded to media requests for comment on how it protects other government aircraft from missile attacks.

South Korea exports Cheongung-II missiles to three Middle Eastern countries.

South Korean company LIG Nex1 announced it has signed an export contract for Cheongung-II missiles worth 3,713.5 billion won (US$2.8 billion) with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, bringing the number of countries using this weapon to three: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

Cheongung-II missile. - Photo: Yonhap

The Cheongung-II air defense missile system, dubbed the Korean version of the Patriot missile, is a key resource in low-altitude air defense and a strategic weapon in South Korea's Air and Missile Defense System (KAMD). Equipped with ballistic missile interception control technology, a multi-functional radar, and a precision targeting system, the Cheongung-II can engage multiple targets simultaneously, intercepting both ballistic missiles and aircraft.

This missile was developed by the Korea Defense Science Institute (ADD). The missile and integrated system were manufactured by LIG Nex1, the multi-functional radar by Hanwha Systems, while the launch platform and delivery vehicle were built by Hanwha Aerospace.

The Cheongung-II missile system was first exported to the UAE in 2022, marking a turning point in South Korea's arms export history. The contract with the UAE was worth approximately $3.5 billion, making it South Korea's largest single arms contract to date. Following this, in November 2023, the South Korean Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Saudi Arabia to export 10 Cheongung-II missiles worth a total of $3.2 billion.

The export of the Cheongung-II missile system to Iraq also began to be directly discussed after the Iraqi Defense Minister visited South Korea and met with representatives of defense industry companies, including LIG Nex1, in March. In May, the South Korean company also publicly announced that it was negotiating the possibility of exporting Cheongung-II missiles to Iraq.

The successive deployment of Cheongung-II missiles in three Middle Eastern countries has opened up the potential for exporting South Korean defense systems.

The US is preparing a $375 million arms aid package for Ukraine.

Two U.S. officials revealed on September 20 that the country is preparing a $375 million military aid package for Ukraine, breaking with a months-long trend of providing smaller aid packages to Kyiv to support military operations against Russia.

The US is preparing a $375 million arms aid package for Ukraine - Photo: AP

This new aid package was announced at a crucial time in the conflict, as Russia attacks Ukraine's energy network ahead of next winter.

According to unnamed officials, the aid package – expected to be announced next week – includes patrol boats, additional ammunition for the High Mobility Rocket-Rocket System (HIMARS), 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells, spare parts, and other weapons.

The types of weapons and the size of this aid package may change in the coming days, before it is signed into law by the US President.

In April of this year, the Pentagon announced it would send $1 billion worth of weapons and equipment directly from its stockpiles to Kyiv after the US Congress approved an additional aid package for Ukraine. However, since then, the value of each military aid package to Ukraine has been significantly less, with none exceeding $400 million and most ranging from $125 million to $250 million.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/quan-su-the-gioi-hom-nay-ngay-219-my-chuan-bi-goi-vien-tro-vu-khi-375-trieu-usd-cho-ukraine-347429.html