Combating myths about US Aid to Ukraine & Why it is so effective
- Paramount leader of CCP
- Aug 19, 2023
- 24 min read
(Lion Research Co does not claim liability, this is not defence or investment advice and the report is of the sole opinion of the author, Lion Research Co condemns discrimination and advocates for the Geneva Convention)
‘Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it, have never known it again.’
Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States (R)
Ukrainian victory must be the clear US foreign policy. Ronald Reagan is a great US president who truly understood freedom.
It must be said US and Allied support to Ukraine is the most effective and cost-efficient foreign policy in the 21st Century. One of the best in history for its impact and small cost. It is for a noble cause. Ukraine was invaded by Russia in 2014 seizing Crimea and parts of Donbas. Countries started military training UK launched Orbital, Canada Operation Unifier just to name a few. Others also gave Ukraine small amounts of military aid. US transferred radars and HUMVEES, UK gave Mk6 helmets etc. However, after the full scale invasion aid skyrocketed.
This report will mainly focus on US aid misunderstandings of aid but it carries over to other countries. There are many myths about this aid.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations. From January 24, 2022 to May 31, 2023 total US aid was $76.8 billion.
Financial - $26.4 billion
Military - $46.5 billion;
$18.3 billion through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI)
$23.5 billion through presidential drawdowns
$4.7 billion through Foreign Military Financing Program
Humanitarian - $3.9 billion
Ukraine is truly thankful for this generous assistance. After each package of aid Ukrainian politicians and the general public thank America and its people. But there is a lack of understanding, myths and context that needs to be explained. The White House and Pentagon does not do a good job explaining aid.
The humanitarian aid is straightforward. There is a major civilian humanitarian crisis. The US provides emergency aid such as medical supplies, hygiene and energy generators. There is absolutely no cash being randomly given out to citizens. This is an extremely common foreign policy for the US with numerous countries for decades to give humanitarian aid.
Economic aid is an area where conspiracies are common. No bundles of cash are being sent to government officials and oligarchs. No cargo plane loads of cash. This is not a front for a money laundering scheme. Financial aid comes in the form of grants, loans, and Economic Support Fund. It is tightly controlled and regulated by the US Government. Oversight is also provided by Allies and International Groups such as the EU (European Union), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and World Bank. Ukraine is going through immense hardship. According to the World Bank, in 2022 its GDP fell 29.2%, inflation went to 26.6% and poverty to 24.2%. However, it would have been a lot worse if it was not for foreign economic aid. These funds are vital. Other Allies provide a large volume of economic aid as well such as Japan and the UK.
USAID (US Agency for International Development) is one US agency which oversees aid. They have constant contact with Kyiv and members of USAID travel to Ukraine. The US Treasury Secretary Yellen has also visited Ukraine to understand the impact of the aid. Tax paying dollars are being used wisely. Again, economic financial aid is not anything new to the US. The US has provided billions of economic aid to Pakistan, Jordan, Somalia and more in the past.
After the war, there will be an economic recovery and financial boom in Ukraine. Ukraine is hoping to rebuild as a modern digital economy which is highly innovative.
These aid packages have many conditions. Ukraine is pushing through anti-corruption and anti-monopoly laws. The west including the US is helping with these anti-corruption reforms. There is corruption in Ukraine, no one is hiding this. This is a condition of any formerly Soviet occupied country. However, there is an anti-corruption drive and officials who take bribes or do corruption are arrested. The main agencies in charge are the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and SBU (Security Service of Ukraine). More work is needed however as cases still exist. Ukraine is public with its arrests and investigative cases. They are not hidden. A key example was the Chief Justice of Ukraine who was arrested for a bribe. Yes, this is not good however it shows no one is above the law. There is a respect for the rule of law and action will be taken against those in power. It is impossible for any country to be 100% corruption free. The citizens of Ukraine demand more action on corruption and there are many civic NGOs for this matter. Financial aid to other countries is not criticised nearly as much as they are with Ukraine. US financial aid to Ukraine does not cause inflation in America. This does not make sense economically.
Firstly, US aid including military aid does not ‘prolong the war’ nor did it cause the war. If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine they will invade someone else. In 2008 Russia invaded Georgia and the Polish President Lech Kaczynski said ‘Today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine’. No one believed him; they said it was fear mongering. He was right. There is a western failure to not listen to Eastern Europe and the Baltics. These nations suffered under the Russian empire and Soviet occupation. They understand more than anyone else. That is why per GDP the Baltics and Eastern Europe are amongst the very top supporters of Ukraine. Support is from all different types of governing political parties. From the Democratic Left in the USA to the right wing conservative PiS in Poland. Support for Ukraine transgresses political boundaries. Many Republicans support aid to Ukraine such as Senator Lindsey Graham.
Since WW2 the US has been the greatest spender in military budgets. In the 2022 fiscal year the budget was $766 billion. Yet in under two years and with fractions of this budget Ukraine has more than halved the capabilities of the Russians Armed Forces. The near peer to the US. The biggest threats to the US are Russia and China. Ukraine is protecting the lives of Americans. They are holding back tyranny and are protecting NATO’s eastern flank. Thanks to Ukraine, the rest of Europe is safe. If Ukraine fell it would be totally unknown what would have happened. There would have been major tension between Russia and NATO. There has been zero deployment of American ground troops to Ukraine. US aid to Ukraine has boosted the capabilities of the US Armed Forces.
If Ukraine stops fighting there is no more Ukraine. Ukrainian troops are fighting for their land, their people, their culture, their language. This is why they are deeply motivated. This is a war of colonialism.
However, if Russia leaves Ukraine there will be no more war and peace. Any peace deals must include the condition of the total withdrawal of Russian troops. There was never a war in Donbas or conflict in Crimea before the Russian Armed Forces arrived. This was admitted by Russians themselves such as Igor Girkin. A terrorist and former FSB agent wanted by Dutch courts for the downing of civilian airliner MH17. He was a senior leader for the ‘rebel separatists’. Girkin claims he ‘pulled the trigger’ that started it all.
With or without sophisticated foreign aid Ukrianians fight on. In the initial days of the war, it looked certain that Kyiv and other major cities would fall. There was minimal western aid yet they continued to defend. Military aid saves Ukrainian lives of both civilians and defenders alike. Moscow gambled and expected a quick victory with minimal western aid. If Moscow knew the aid Ukraine would receive they would not have started full scale war. The only response to Russian aggression is mighty force. Moscow has gone too far and knows they cannot withdraw since the public will get angry. Public outcry from the Argentine loss in the 1982 Falklands war led to the collapse of the junta. They will continue until they are defeated militarily. A political resolution currently is not possible. The Russian government will not relent in their desire to take Ukrainian land. Ceasefires do nothing and are beneficial to Russia. Ceasefires would allow Russia to solidify defences, train troops, repair stored equipment and occupied territory would remain occupied.
Every US military aid package is a step closer to victory; they shorten the length of the war.
Reluctancy costs lives:
However, the west is reluctant at times with types of aid. Half-hearted measures do not work. They force Ukraine to fight with a hand tied behind their back. It took months to get tanks approved. This meant that Russia was able to build stronger defences (minefields and trenches) in the South and prepare for their arrival. Consequently, their impact is smaller than expected. The UK and France have sent the long range Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missile however the US still refuses to send Army Tactical Missile Systems (MGM-140). The same refusal goes for Germany with the Taurus missile. This massively impacts the ability for Ukraine to perform deep strikes. Training for F-16s has been delayed unreasonably. F-16s will not arrive until middle 2024 at the earliest. F-16 would be able to perform SEAD/DEAD missions (suppression/destruction of enemy air defences), CAP (combat air patrols) and deep strikes.
There needs to be a realisation that half measures will not work. The west at times falsely thinks Ukrainian bravery will overcome a lack of equipment. Foreign governments are surprised when offensive progress is slow yet they do not give to Ukraine what is required. Only around 15% of mine clearance equipment which Ukraine requested was given. If Ukraine got what it wanted, the speed of advances would increase.
The US has given to Ukraine zero aircraft, zero helicopters (bar Soviet Mi-17 meant for Afghanistan before the government fell), zero cruise missiles, zero tanks from active service, zero major surface vessels etc. If you put the US Army in the same situation with no air cover, limited long range air defence, ammunition constraints, and a lack of mine clearance they would not do much better.
(Note: the US is selling/transferring American helicopters to Eastern European & Baltic countries and in return said countries give Soviet models to Ukraine)
However, it must be said the US has been leading the way in military aid. They have provided a great number of equipment pieces.
The US was initially reluctant to send Ukraine HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) eventually Ukraine was able to convince. First 4 systems arrived in late June 2022. These fire Guided Multi-Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds. A small number of HIMARS systems were sent in total (16 total across the months) and a number of allies have sent M270 (predecessor which fires the same GMLRS). These GMLRS totally change the game. Huge numbers of Russian ammunition depots and command posts were destroyed in the summer. This forced the relocation of these installations, complicating command structures and logistics. Ukraine also skilfully uses GMLRS for counter-battery missions and to hit high value equipment pieces. It saves the lives of many troops.
During their darkest hours Ukraine will be forever thankful to those countries that provided aid to them. If it be humanitarian, financial or military. Big or small. US aid will forever be positively remembered in Ukraine.
Aid does not impact US capabilities:
This is a major misconception. The US is not using its full force. Take the Patriot air defence. A very sophisticated and high quality long range air defence system. The US has 16 Patriot Battalions each with 4-6 batteries. The US has given Ukraine 1 battery. Not 1 battalion but 1 battery. Some American media incorrectly stated 1 battalion. This has helped Ukraine massively with its air defence umbrella. For the US this is not even a noticeable difference.
The US Army has 2,509 Abrams in active use according to Radio Free Europe. Ukraine is receiving 31 Abrams M1A1. A full tank battalion. These are not coming from active stock even but from the 1,000s in storage. They are collecting dust in the deserts of California. Ukraine is very happy with their 31 Abrams.
186 M2A2 ODS (Operation Desert Storm) SA (Situational Awareness) Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) are being sent to Ukraine. Again, the US has over 1,500 Bradleys in storage.
Ukraine is given large sums of M113, first entered service in the 60s actively being replaced by Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). Same goes for the HUMVEE, entered in the 80s, being replaced by Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). 250 M1117, from storage needing repairs before being sent.
100s of MRAPS are being sent to Ukraine. The US has 1,000s of these and after the wind down of Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, 60% will go into storage. Many are given to allies at very low prices.
The US has sent Ukraine bridge layers. These are M60 AVLB, retired from Army service in 2003 and being replaced in National Guard service. Again the M60 is from the 60s. Hawk air defence systems are being sent, these were replaced by the Patriots in the 90s and are in storage.
The US Armed Forces are the best in the world. Their capabilities are unmatched and they are ready to act at all times to protect Americans.
Regarding artillery this is more complex. The US has been sending large amounts of artillery shells to Ukraine. In the millions. This means the US stocks are running low. However, the pentagon says current stocks and emergency stocks are sufficient. Moreover, no US cruise missile or ballistic land attack missile have been sent. The US Army retains all of their MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, Long-Range Hypersonic Missile, Navy their Tomahawks and Air Force their AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-86 ALCM, and AGM-158C LRASM. These can be used to full force in any potential conflict. There is no predicted conflict currently where the US will need large sums of artillery.
The lack of standard shells is due to decades of counter insurgency (COIN) operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This led to ammunition, especially artillery, stocks not being the priority. In Afghanistan only 400 rounds a day were being fired.
However, the US is rapidly increasing production of shells. Opening new lines and factories. This boosts US manufacturing and jobs. The aim is for 80,000-85,000 155mm shells a month. Current production is 24,000 155mm per month. Some people then say Ukraine fires circa 4-7,000 shells a day they will run out. Firstly not all are 155mm. They include NATO:105mm,155mm and 203mm, Soviet: 122mm, 155mm, and 203mm (status of 203mm is unknown as stocks are very small). Ukraine has a small but sizable domestic production of shells. The US sends Ukraine many shells but so do other countries. These include but are not limited to UK, EU, NATO members (bar Hungary), Pakistan (paid by the UK, likely UK & USA) and even Iran (paid by an unknown third country). Plus you have to factor in the strategic shell reserves of countries. The UK and many EU countries are boosting their own production of shells.
A lot of people do not understand clusters fully. Clusters ideally would not be used but Ukraine is not in an ideal situation. War is not pleasant nor are clusters. Clusters are not against international law. The Convention on Cluster Munitions is not mandatory. The USA, Ukraine and Russia are some of the many countries who did not sign it. When DPICM was being discussed Russia lied saying they would use clusters in response and they did not use them before. Some of the American media did a poor job and just repeated these comments. This is not journalism or analysis. Russia has been using clusters since even before the 2022 invasion. These lies were an attempt to sway public opinion on DPICM. Why? Russia knew the threat DPICMs would pose. DPICM releases small anti-personnel and anti-armour bomblets. 1 DPICM has the same impact as multiple standard 155mm rounds.
The US has condemned their use which led to people saying double standards. But there is a key detail missed out. The US condemned cluster firing at civilians. Ukraine fires DPICMs at uniformed Russian troops. Ukraine has many conditions for DPICM. It is only used in frontline positions. No Ukrainian civilians are in the Russian trench lines. Areas where DPICM are recorded and the number of shells fired are noted down. Reports on their use are sent to Washington for analysis. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) is a risk to civilians. Ukraine has promised priority demining for DPICM areas. Moreover, if hypothetically there is UXO on a Russian trenchline. Civilians are not going to rush all of sudden to the trench lines. The risk to UXO is for Ukrainian troops. They will only be fired at Ukrainian territory, not Russian. This is legal practice. The DoD will pick out DPICM shells for Ukraine which have a lower dud rate. Even standard artillery shells and rockets can become dud especially if they are old. This is not condemned. Countries that totally destroyed their cluster stock such as UK, Italy and Germany did this at the direction of politicians not military personnel. Ukraine uses cluster munitions even before DPICM.
USA is open with its military aid you can find complete lists from the pentagon. Other countries such as Finland keep it secret.
Cheaper to transfer:
Munitions have a shelf life. Ukraine has been using old ammunition and munitions provided from foreign governments such as AIM-120Bs from 1994. If the US did not give these then some would have to be decommissioned. The US is not fighting any major war currently and there is no indication they will. Due to strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules and regulations, it costs 10s of thousands of dollars to dispose of a single AIM-120 missile (air defence missile). A Ukrainian Air Force Colonel with the times gave the figure as ‘$26,000 to $28,000’. It is cheaper to transfer to Ukraine and the equipment is put to good use.
The same, cheaper to transfer principle, goes for vehicle equipment being sent to Ukraine which is due for retirement.
The main US choices are to destroy (again expensive due to EPA), keep in storage (maintenance costs + no foreseeable use), sell to foreign countries or give to Ukraine. When it comes to old equipment such as HUMVEE and M113 they can be transferred via the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) Program. This is where the DoD sells their excess equipment at very little cost or no cost at all. Usually the recipient country only pays for transport. This is how Greece got a large sum of M1117. The US makes good money on their new modern equipment but not selling their old equipment. Allied governments want new equipment.
Giving to Ukraine is a win-win situation for old equipment. Saves Ukrainian lives. Put to good use. No decommission or maintenance costs. Ukraine is thankful for all military aid.
The Pentagon did overvalue the cost of aid packages to Ukraine by over $3 billion. Take a M113 it is worth scrap to the US yet they overstated its value when giving it to Ukraine. If the US wanted to build a new M113 it would be let's say 0.7-1 million depending on the variant. This was the value put down. However, it is not worth that much to the US. M113 has been built since the 60s. So when looking at US aid you should not compare it to the current defence budget. US aid is circa 5% of the current defence budgets but compare it to every defence budget since the 60s.
USAI:
Alongside the DoD taking equipment from stock and storage some said is from the USAI: Under the Ukraine Security Assistance Fund (USAI) the US buys equipment for Ukraine from the US defence industry. This boosts manufacturing jobs and strengthens US supply chains. Equipment brought includes American drones, EW, and ammunition. You can find these from Pentagon press releases and contacts.
The US also uses this fund to buy equipment from allies to give to Ukraine. This includes Gepards (SHORADs) from Jordan and ammunition from Pakistan. This strengthens US relations with foreign countries and is a part of soft power.
Boost Defence Industry exports:
Ukraine is showcasing western military equipment. This has led to a surge in countries wanting said equipment. Since Ukraine has received HIMARS it has been brought/ordered by Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Morocco. These contacts are worth billions collectively.
The same goes for the Javelin. Ukraine has used the Javelin Anti-tank guided weapon to great extents. Since being used by Ukraine it has been ordered by Albania, Brazil, and Latvia.
Due to the US leading the way in military aid. Other countries gave large sums of equipment as a result they have ordered replacement or substitute equipment from the US. Poland brought several thousand M72 EC Mk1s, Slovenia ordered extra Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV), Lithuania did the same. These are just a few examples.
Testing of own and captured equipment:
Ukraine has put American equipment through combat. This is the best testing any equipment can get. Here systems have been improved and hence makes American troops stronger. Due to the strong presence of Electronic Warfare systems the US have adapted GMLRS to make them more resistant to jamming. Ukraine proved the Patriot can down the Kh-47 kinzhal missile NATO reporting name Killjoy. Joe Biden earlier stated it cannot be downed. The Stinger can down a cruise missile which was not thought to be within its capabilities. The list goes on.
Western aid boosts the Ukrainian ability to fight and hence capture equipment. Captured equipment is then sent to the US and allies for testing and evaluation. This helps strengthen the defence capabilities of the US. According to Oryx which uses video and photographic data Ukraine has captured, as off writing, 2861 pieces of equipment (does not count small infantry systems, ATGMs, civilian equipment put into service). Most are tanks, APCs, IFVs, Soviet artillery, command vehicles however there are very noticeable finds.
Most critical captured equipment includes;
T-90M, most modern tank in active Russian service.
Zoopark - 1 Counter Battery radar (1L261), capturing radar intact is rare and this is a significant capture.
Portable IL271 Aistyonok portable mortar locating reconnaissance radar
R-934BMV UHF jammer (Borisoglebsk-2 EW system), in the past US and NATO were deeply concerned about this jammer and other EW systems. Russian EW is potent.
Other EW systems have been captured such as Torn, Silok-01 C-UAV, Leer-3,
Recovering vital parts to down aircraft,
partly damaged Ka-52 attack helicopter,
intact modern artillery (2S34 etc),
fully intact modern Pantsir-S1 SHORAD systems and other air defence radars
This is a treasure trove of equipment. The US can find weakness in the equipment, modify their equipment and adapt tactics to be more efficient.
Before the full scale invasion of Ukraine, the west would sell Russia small arms (Alpha Group uses the German HK417, British Accuracy International rifles and even the American M4,), and some military vehicles. Italy sold Iveco LMV infantry mobility vehicles and Russia evaluated the B1 Centauro
Russia has captured from Ukraine, American small arms and other infantry portable equipment. This is to be expected. You cannot have a war and not have captured equipment.
Currently, no American Bradley, Stryker or western MBT has been captured.
1 x Swedish Cv90C IFV and 1 x AMX-10RC were both damaged and abandoned then captured. The AMX-10RC has the same role and similar capabilities to the B1 Centauro. The Cv90C is a very good vehicle however it is a frontline vehicle, being captured did not surprise anyone.
A number of American M113 were captured. But these are armoured boxes from the 1960s. These were captured first in the Vietnam war and evaluated by the Soviets. 2 x M1224 Maxxpro and 1 x M-ATV were captured. These American vehicles are good, however Russia already has their own domestic production of MRAPs. The current model for Russian MRAP is the Z STS.
No western air defence, drone control point nor artillery has been captured. A few American drones have been lost but these are small drones such as RQ-20 Puma, Aerovironment Quantix and ScanEagle 2. The US refuses to send MQ-1C Grey Eagle. Only a small number of western infantry portable light weight EW systems have been captured. No vehicle or non-infantry portable western EW system have been captured. In March 2022, Russian troops posted photos of parts of an AN/TPQ-49 light weight counter battery radar. It is unsure if they have the full system. The AN/TPQ-49 is vastly smaller than the Zoopark - 1. Apart from this one capture no other radar has been captured.
1 x American M777 155mm was destroyed and recovered by Russia. It was then ‘repaired’ very poorly to look like an intact system. It has since been shown around Russian Army expos. The M777 is still broken, Russia cannot repair it and they have not fired any shots from it.
Adapting own tactics:
Thanks to western aid Ukraine is able to carry on fighting. Experience and knowledge from the war is helping to shape the tactics of NATO. Drone usage has been paramount to all aspects of fighting. From small commercial off the shelf (COTS) models dropping grenades & med kits to specialist drones flying in EW environment to provide deep fire strike recon. The US is boosting its anti-drone capabilities with kinetic, EW and laser weapons. Lockheed Martin is building new EW and signal intelligence variants of the Stryker. Proposals have been sent to the defence industry for small drones with munitions for US infantrymen.
During the recent Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia, which the US attended, new tactics were tried out. HIMARS has been able to hit Russian command posts effectively. A key reason why is due to signal signature from communication equipment. In Australia, they tested out new methods to reduce signature and practised relocation of command posts. Using drones for medical aid was also practiced in Australia. Lion Research Co expresses their condolences to the families of the fallen 4 person crew of the crashed MHR-90 which occurred during the exercise.
Ukraine is a leader in digital warfare. Using commercial phones, ipads and specialist software Ukraine rapidly shares information. Command posts are full of TVs that play streams from drones which help inform officers of the situation. Even discord is used. Air defence alerts and location of threats are shared via maps on these devices. Allowing air defence personnel to quickly take up positions. There is great interconnectivity. The US is taking note and this is shaping their feature for command and communication. US troops currently do not do this and rely on paper maps on the frontlines.
Lessons are endless. Due to the risks of towed artillery, mainly their inability to quickly change location. The Russian Lancet drone is a menace to Ukrainian artillery. A number of American M777 have been hit. This is making the US command rethink towed artillery.
Lion Research Co still believes there is a place for towed artillery. Towed artillery does not rely on its own power, it can be towed by any suitable vehicle so if one breaks down another can take its place. For self-propelled artillery if the engine breaks then the vehicle is immobile until a recovery team can arrive. The British lightweight L118 LG can be towed by a Range Rover even. Towed artillery is smaller and can be more easily camouflaged such as in treelines. Ukraine uses a lot of decoys and camouflage to hide its towed fleet. Towed artillery pieces and ammunition can be separated which means it is safer for the gun and the crew. When self-propelled guns are hit if the armour is penetrated the ammo cooks off. This is catastrophic.
Not anything new:
Foreign military aid is not anything new to the US or other Allied governments. Every year the US gives an assortment of equipment to foreign armies. At the start of 2023, the US donated $9 million in support to the Somali National Army, on the 1st August 2023 the US donated equipment to Moldova Armed Forces. In the past M1117 have been donated to Kosovo, M16s to Bosnia the list goes on. This is standard and happens yearly.
Every year the US also provides Egypt with military aid. Since 1979 it has been $51 billion and it continues to this day. The US had to intervene to prevent Egypt from selling ammunition (including 122mm Grad rounds) to Russia for its war in Ukraine. They help the enemy even though the US gives so much. Billions of military aid goes to Israel. Yet Israel refuses to give Ukraine military aid and does not impose as many sanctions as the west. Israel would not let the US buy back stored Hawk missiles to give to Ukraine. Israel refused to allow Israeli designed weapons such as the Spike , which are in use with European armies such as the UK and Germany, to be sent to Ukraine.
On the other side, Ukraine is an evolving and proud US ally. The aid is used very well and for a legal purpose.
Misinformation:
There is a sustained misinformation campaign aimed at Ukrainian aid. Across social media photos and videos are released of either old Ukrainian footage or footage of other countries which shows no damage. Twitter community notes do help to combat this. This ‘evidence’ is then used for a deeply bizarre conspiracy that there is no war in Ukraine. A video of an Israeli pool club went viral around twitter claiming it was Ukraine. This is totally false. The 2022 invasion of Ukraine is the most documented war in history. It is impossible to not see the evidence. You can easily see footage of devastating damage in many cities and towns. Mariupol, Bakhmut, Pisky, Vuhledar, Mar’inka …Once vibrant places full of life and now rubble. The list is truly endless. Destruction is incomprehensible.
Footage is also shown of places far from combat which shows normal life and it is used again as evidence for this wacky conspiracy. The fighting is in the East and the South. In the North and West the threat is from missile and drone barrages. Military aid was one of the reasons why the invaders fled the northern regions of Kyiv, Sumy and Chernikiv. In areas where there was fighting in the past but not anymore, foreign aid has allowed for reconstruction and recovery. This was seen in the northern city of Irpin. Scars will forever remain however. The ability to rebuild damaged infrastructure does not mean there is no war.
Key case study in Kyiv, the capital. Kyiv is a functional city. People find this perplexing somehow that it doesn't look heavily bombed. This is in part thanks to western aid. Russian forces never entered the city itself but were stopped on the outskirts. Kyiv gets continuously attacked by cruise and ballistic missiles alongside OWA UAVs (One way attack unmanned aerial vehicles). Some unfortunately hit targets however many are shot down. Thanks to Patriots, IRIS-T, NASAMS and other western systems. During Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, Kyiv was close to being evacuated. This would be a colossal task even during peacetime. However, thanks western transferred equipment Kyiv held on and there was no winter black out. Ukraine does have a functional McDonalds but they are situated far from the fighting in cities such as Kyiv and Odesa. During one air raid a McDonalds in Odesa was damaged.
Weapons are also not being sold on the black market. An AT4 seen in use by Mexican cartels. These are from Venezuelan stock. Some are stolen and captured by the rebel group FARC and they end up in Mexican cartels’ hands. Ukraine keeps stock and inventory of all equipment being sent. The pentagon confirms this. There have been at times missing western weapons but these are however small arms and the number is very small and not a chronic problem. Russian operatives try to enter units and take weapons. This is not the fault of Ukrainian troops if Russian agents sneak in. These do not leave the country and SBU is in charge of finding these stashes. When stashes are found, SBU is public and shows photos. Ukraine is able to defend their country due to using western military aid. These conspiracies are a part of Russian misinformation campaigns to dissuade foreign aid. Russia hates western military aid due to how effective it is.
When Ukrainian military equipment is damaged or destroyed. Russia is known to take photos at multiple angles to attempt to make it seem more than it is. Old footage is also tried to be painted as new. This illusion is again misinformation to sway foreign opinion. Wars today are not just fought on the frontlines but across a spectrum of domains. From cyber to energy and social media.
Equipment myths:
The average individual is not a defence analyst. As a result, there are a number of myths being spread and people fall for them. The most common one is regarding the Abrams. The Abrams uses a gas turbine engine. This has the advantages of being quieter at distance and improved better power to weight ratios. It *can* use jet fuel. It can also use diesel and petrol (gasoline for Americans). Jet fuel is obviously not the main fuel. Gas turbines do require specialist maintenance however Ukraine uses in large numbers the Soviet T-80 series of tanks; these also use turbine engines (bar the T-80UD) . The turbine engine is not unknown to Ukraine.
Another myth is that Ukrainian soldiers are unable to use western equipment. This is a total myth. Ukrainian troops can master western equipment in record time and use it in ways that were not initially thought off. Ukrainian troops are eager and ready to learn. They are no different than a western recruit in ability. At the start of the war troops learnt how to fire British NLAWs anti-tank weapons via a powerpoint in english. Meanwhile British troops get classroom, field instructions, fire simulators and some fire live rounds. The NLAW was used to great effect during the initial battles. This carries over to the more complex weapons. Air Force personnel learnt how to use the Patriot air defence system in a record 10 weeks. For American troops it is up to a year of training. Ukrainian troops have been amazed at how simple and user friendly western equipment is. Soviet systems, such as the BUK air defence, are notoriously difficult to use with its analogue systems. One former Buk operator who switched to the German IRIS-T systems said the difference is from a ‘calculator to a Macbook Pro’. If you gave a Soviet system to a NATO soldier they would struggle.
Defective Equipment:
Ukraine has been sent by allies millions of dollars of broken equipment which has just been collecting dust. Germany sent 2,700 Strela , at the start of the full scale war, from former East German stocks 700 arrived in an unusable state. A number of M109L (self-propelled artillery gun) arrived from Italy not functioning. Some of these were repaired for free by Italian defence company Leonardo. The US has 7 prepositioned stocks around the world. These are stored equipment not in active use but kept in case of conflict in the area. Some equipment from the Kuwait stock was due to be given to Ukraine. 6/6 M777 (155mm guns) and 25/29 M1167 (armoured HUMVEE) were not ‘mission ready’ according to auditors. These were repaired or replaced before being given to Ukraine. This shows how the west at times is just giving Ukraine whatever in aid. A lot of western aid to Ukraine is from warehouses not frontline units.
It is to be said however US, German and Italian aid has been vital for Ukraine. Ukraine is also grateful. US military aid is ranked number one in terms of raw volume and Germany second.
Hawaii:
Lion Research Co expresses their deep condolences to the victims of the dreadful wildfire in Hawaii. We praise the heroic efforts of rescuers. During such a sad time it is unfortunate that some politicians and MAGA supporters used this event to attack aid to Ukraine. US aid to Ukraine had no impact on the response to Hawaii.
On the 10th of August Biden seeked supplemental funding from Congress which was $12 billion (USD) in disaster relief, 3.9 billion in border and migration, 60 million for wildland firefighter pay and 24 billion in funding for different aid types to Ukraine.
Hawaii wildfires started on August 8th. Governor Green was away so Lt Governor Sylvia Luke took control. Hawaii emergency protocols were activated. The Emergency Management Agency, State National Guard alongside the federal 25th Infantry Division were mobilised.
Joe Biden directed ‘all available federal assets’. Coast Guard and elements of the Third Fleet provided aerial SAR alongside other relief efforts such as aerial fire fighting, logistical support and housing. Hawaii requested a ‘major disaster declaration’. The White House approved this within 6 hours on the 10th. This unleashed a wave of federal aid. FEMA mobilised an Urban Search and Rescue Task Force and provided other aid. Governor Green praised the effort from Washington.
The President did however go to the beach over the weekend at his home in Delaware whilst this catastrophe was happening this should not have happened. The President so far has also not visited Hawaii. However, he will on Monday the 21st August. There are logical reasons for this such as security and Joe Biden doesn’t want to get in the way of rescue efforts. After the tragic Aberfan disaster in Wales, the late Queen regretted not visiting the community until 8 days had passed. The reason given was it would not be appropriate with the entourage.
Lessons are however to be learnt. Lessons which should have already been learnt. There is still a need for more aid to Hawaii. Mainly in immediate accommodation and basic supplies. The State Government of Hawaii announced that there will be a formal investigation. Biden’s poor handling of public conferences contributes to a negative sense of response. When looking at disaster relief you should not base it on party lines but instead take an objective approach.
On the 14th of August, the State Department approved a new aid package to Ukrainian defenders via presidential drawdown authority. Its value, on paper, is 200 million USD.
Out of the 12 listed groups only number 8 & 9 would help.
(The obstacles are minefields)
8. 37 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;
9. 58 water trailers
The US Department of Defense and government has a lot more than 37 tactical vehicles and 58 water trailers. These transfers do not impact Hawaiian aid.
The idea that the President doesn’t care about his people is false and the Idea that Ukrainian citizens are aided more than Americans is false.
Cool