Latest news with #anti-drone
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump administration ‘diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles promised to Ukraine to US troops'
The Trump administration diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally promised to Kyiv to American forces in the Middle East, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The Ukrainian leader said that the missiles, originally secured in a deal under the Biden administration, were meant to counterattack Moscow's Shahed drones, which have played a key role in Russia's mass bombardment of the country. 'We have big problems with Shaheds,' Zelensky told ABC News' This Week, in reference to the Iranian-designed drones. 'We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it's a special technology.' The weapons were instead diverted to American forces in the Middle East as the US braces for possible conflict with Iran over a stalled nuclear agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly issued an 'urgent' call to redirect the weapons last Wednesday. Hegseth's order coincided with his absence from the most recent Ukraine Defence Contract Group meeting - the first time a Defence chief has missed the conference since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He previously warned European allies that they must provide more of a share of future military assistance to Kyiv. The US halted all military aid to Ukraine in March this year. Meanwhile, Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine on Monday with Kyiv's air force forces reporting that almost 500 drones and missiles were launched at them overnight. With more than 479 drones and 20 missiles launched, it is the biggest overnight attack of the war so far. Ukraine could be pounded by more than 500 drones per night as the Kremlin is reportedly building new launch sites, according to the Kyiv Independent. A security source told the Ukrainian publication that Russia's production rate of Shahed-type Gerans had increased to 70 units per day, up from a reported 21 a day last year, as Moscow plans to add 12-15 new launch site to their operation. Zelensky told ABC News' Martha Raddatz that people didn't realise 'we are under strikes, under attack every day. And you might remember that when they were talking about ceasefires, temporary ceasefire[s], they still continued attacking and launching strikes.' He added that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was clearly uninterested in peace, reaffirming that only 'hard pressure' from global leaders - including the US - would render Putin to think pragmatically. 'Then they will stop the war,' He said. 'I am convinced that the president of the United States has all the powers and enough leverage to step up.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's White House Redirects Thousands Of Missiles Meant For Ukraine's Use, Zelenskyy Says
Donald Trump's administration has redirected 20,000 anti-drone missiles away from Ukraine, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president told ABC News' This Week that the missiles are needed to deter Russia's ongoing strikes using Iranian-design Shahed drones. Moscow has been ruthlessly attacking Ukraine from the skies throughout the war, but it has elevated its strikes recently. On June 1, it launched its largest drone assault of the war with 472 strikes just in one night. According to Zelenskyy, the Biden administration had already agreed to send Ukraine anti-drone technology before Trump's second term began. Zelenskyy explained: 'We have a big problem with Shaheds... we will find all the tools to destroy them. 'We counted on this project – 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it's a special technology.' The Wall Street Journal first reported the diversion on June 4, after US defence secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly alerted Congress to the 'urgent' re-allocation of weaponry. That report also came out the same day Trump spoke extensively to Vladimir Putin over the phone. The weapons were instead sent to the American forces in the Middle East amid brewing fears of a possible US-Iran clash over their delayed nuclear deal and concerns over the Houthi rebels in Yemen. But there are also Russia has not finished retaliating against Ukraine after its surprise 'Operation Spiderweb' attack on Russian airbases last week. Reports say Russia is looking to launch more than 500 long-range drones per night in future attacks. Under Trump, the White House has been far less consistent in its backing of Ukraine and often expressed sympathy with Putin over his ongoing land grab. The US president has halted the approval of new military aid packages for Ukraine ever since he returned to office in January. Hegseth also became the first US defence chief not to attend a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on June 4 since Putin's invasion began in February 2022. In his bid to secure a quick resolution to the war, Trump briefly stopped military shipments going to Ukraine and refused to share intelligence with the beleaguered country until it agreed to a ceasefire framework in March. Meanwhile, Trump has refused to impose sanctions on Russia, claiming it could disrupt its attempts to get a peace deal. But Zelenskyy remains publicly optimistic that the American president is the only way for the war to end. He said 'hard pressure' from Washington and its European allies would force Putin to be 'pragmatic'. The Ukrainian president added: 'Then they will stop the war. I am convinced that the president of the United States has all the powers and enough leverage to step up.' Trump Claims Ukraine Gave Putin A Reason To 'Bomb The Hell Out Of Them' – Forgetting 1 Obvious Detail Putin Ambassador Accuses UK Of Helping Ukraine Attack Russia – And Comes Up With A Bizarre British Motive Trump Mocked For Latest 'Disgraceful' Chat With Putin About Ending Ukraine War
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration redirects 20,000 anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, Zelensky confirms
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally intended for Ukraine to American forces in the Middle East, in an interview with ABC News published on June 8. Zelensky said Ukraine had counted on the missiles to help counter relentless Russian drone attacks, which include swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones. On June 1, Russia launched a record 472 drones in a single night. "We have big problems with Shaheds… we will find all the tools to destroy them," Zelensky said. "We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it's a special technology." Zelensky said the plan had been agreed upon with then-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and was launched under President Joe Biden's administration. The Wall Street Journal reported on June 4 that the Trump administration had redirected the munitions, which include special fuzes used in advanced rocket systems to intercept drones, toward U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East. The Pentagon reportedly informed Congress in a classified message that the reallocation of the fuzes for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System was deemed an "urgent issue" by current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us A Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) source told the Kyiv Independent on June 4 that Russia is preparing to launch more than 500 long-range drones per night in future attacks, as Moscow rapidly scales up drone production and constructs new launch sites. The Trump administration has halted the approval of new military aid packages to Ukraine since the start of his second term in January. Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about continued assistance to Kyiv and temporarily suspended military shipments earlier this year, only resuming them after Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire framework during peace talks in Jeddah on March 11. Hegseth, who ordered the temporary halt, did not attend the most recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on June 4 — the first such absence by a U.S. defense chief since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine has urgently called on Western partners to expand investments in domestic arms production and deliver more air defense systems, including U.S.-made Patriots, to counter intensifying Russian airstrikes. Despite growing international appeals and Kyiv's offer of a 30-day ceasefire as the basis for peace talks, Moscow continues to reject the proposal. Trump, who spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, has refused to impose new sanctions on Russia, saying he is focused on pursuing a negotiated ceasefire. Read also: Elon Musk's father to attend pro-Kremlin event in Russia hosted by far-right ideologue We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
CNN
5 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Pentagon diverting key anti-drone technology from Ukraine to US forces in the Middle East
The Pentagon notified Congress last week that it will be diverting critical anti-drone technology that had been allocated for Ukraine to US Air Force units in the Middle East, according to correspondence obtained by CNN and people familiar with the matter. The move reflects the US' shifting defense priorities under President Donald Trump – toward the Middle East and the Pacific – and the fact that US stockpiles of some defense components are becoming increasingly stretched. The technology, proximity fuzes for the rockets Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian drones, was redirected from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to Air Force Central Command on orders from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to the correspondence dated May 29 and sent to the Senate and House Armed Services committees. USAI is a Defense Department funding program that was established in 2014, when Russia first invaded eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea. It authorizes the US government to buy arms and equipment for Ukraine directly from US weapons manufacturers. The proximity fuzes were originally purchased for Ukraine but were redirected to the Air Force as a 'Secretary of Defense Identified Urgent Issue,' the correspondence says. The notification was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The Pentagon has in recent months redirected a large amount of equipment and resources to the Middle East, including air defense systems out of the Indo-Pacific Command, amid threats from Iran and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. It is not yet clear what the impact will be of diverting the fuzes away from Ukraine. But the technology has made their rockets more effective against Russian drones, since the fuze sets off an added explosion as the rocket nears the drone. US forces in the Middle East have had to contend with drones, too, however, particularly from Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq.
CNN
5 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Pentagon diverting key anti-drone technology from Ukraine to US forces in the Middle East
The Pentagon notified Congress last week that it will be diverting critical anti-drone technology that had been allocated for Ukraine to US Air Force units in the Middle East, according to correspondence obtained by CNN and people familiar with the matter. The move reflects the US' shifting defense priorities under President Donald Trump – toward the Middle East and the Pacific – and the fact that US stockpiles of some defense components are becoming increasingly stretched. The technology, proximity fuzes for the rockets Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian drones, was redirected from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to Air Force Central Command on orders from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to the correspondence dated May 29 and sent to the Senate and House Armed Services committees. USAI is a Defense Department funding program that was established in 2014, when Russia first invaded eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea. It authorizes the US government to buy arms and equipment for Ukraine directly from US weapons manufacturers. The proximity fuzes were originally purchased for Ukraine but were redirected to the Air Force as a 'Secretary of Defense Identified Urgent Issue,' the correspondence says. The notification was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The Pentagon has in recent months redirected a large amount of equipment and resources to the Middle East, including air defense systems out of the Indo-Pacific Command, amid threats from Iran and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. It is not yet clear what the impact will be of diverting the fuzes away from Ukraine. But the technology has made their rockets more effective against Russian drones, since the fuze sets off an added explosion as the rocket nears the drone. US forces in the Middle East have had to contend with drones, too, however, particularly from Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq.
