US to hand over 18 coastal and river patrol boats to Ukraine
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The package announced on June 23 includes two 35-foot, small-unit river patrol craft; six 40-foot maritime combat craft; and ten 34-foot, Dauntless Sea Ark patrol boats.
"These are largely to protect the riverways and to enable Ukraine to maintain its control of its riverways," said a senior defense official during a briefing today at the Pentagon.
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"They can also be used in close-in coastal areas."
In addition to the coastal and river patrol boats, the latest presidential drawdown authority security assistance package to Ukraine includes four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS; 36,000 rounds of 105 mm ammunition; 18 tactical vehicles with which to move 155 mm artillery; 1,200 Mk 19 grenade launchers; and 2,000 machine guns.
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In early June, the United States announced that it would provide Ukraine with four HIMARS MLRS and shells for them.
On June 23, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov confirmed that the U.S.-made systems had already arrived in Ukraine.
