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The United States, which has been providing Ukraine with lethal “defensive” aid is urging allies and partners to lift restrictions on security assistance.
Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper said that at an online event “U.S. Defense and Security Engagement in the Black Sea Region,” held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“The first thing I would mention is I would like to see all allies lift their restrictions on defensive lethal assistance,” Cooper said.
She reminded that the United States had handed Javelin anti-tank systems to Ukraine and Georgia, which she said was a clear example of defensive lethal assistance capability provided by the U.S.
“We have a number of allies who have that as a restriction – some have it as a restriction in terms of their security assistance programs, but some also have it as a restriction in terms of their sales,” the Pentagon spokeswoman said.
” I believe that Ukraine should be able to purchase the capabilities it needs to defend itself, so I’d like to see that restriction lifted,” Cooper stressed.
At the same time, she noted that Ukraine continues to be the focus of U.S. attention so Washington will continue to provide defense assistance to Ukraine as the country needs to defend itself.
Cooper also reminded of the importance of reforms in defense and other areas, reaffirming U.S. support in their implementation.
Previously, on October 26th, for the first time since Ukraine acquired Bayraktar TB2 reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicles, one of them engaged an enemy target in the Joint Forces Operation zone.
Today, October 26, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhnyi, the Bayraktar reconnaissance and strike UAV was for the first time employed in the Joint Forces Operation zone,” the statement said.
Two Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in that shelling, one of whom later succumbed to his wounds. With the start of the shelling, Ukraine immediately demanded through the OSCE SMM that the enemy cease fire, and a note was sent through diplomatic channels.
“In order to force the enemy to cease fire, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Bayraktar was used. The UAV did not cross the line of contact and destroyed with a guided bomb an artillery gun with the crew from the Russian occupation forces,” the statement reads.
After the strike, the shelling of Ukrainian positions stopped.
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