By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is likely to announce this week the purchase of an advanced medium- and long-range surface-to-air missile defense system for Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday .
Washington is also expected to announce other security assistance for Ukraine, including additional artillery ammunition and counter-battery radars to meet the needs expressed by the Ukrainian army, the source added.
Weapons are the latest aid the United States has offered Ukraine since Russia invaded its Eastern European neighbor in February.
This month, President Joe Biden agreed to provide Ukraine with $ 700 million in military aid, including advanced rocket systems that can accurately attack long-range targets.
Ammunition, counter-fire radars, various air surveillance radars, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, as well as anti-armored weapons are also part of this package, officials said.
Another effort, to sell four large armable drones in Ukraine, came to a halt earlier this month amid concerns that its radar and surveillance equipment could pose a risk to U.S. security if it fell into Russian hands. .
(Report by Steve Holland in Washington, additional report by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California, written by Ismail Shakil; edited by Ross Colvin and Himani Sarkar)