United States sends first shipment of power equipment to aid Ukraine

The United States has sent the first shipment of power equipment to Ukraine in order to support the country’s energy infrastructure against Russian intensifying attacks.

The relevant statement was made by Reuters, referring to U.S. officials, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The first tranche consists of power equipment worth about $13 million. It is part of the $53 million aid announced last month.

Another source familiar with the matter said two more planeloads of equipment would leave from the United States this week. Some equipment has already departed from a U.S. military base.

Russia has been massively attacking Ukraine’s power transmission and heating infrastructure since October, which is a deliberate campaign to harm civilians. In particular, Russia’s recent attacks have left millions of Ukrainians in the dark and without heating amid sub-zero temperatures.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken late last month accused Putin of trying to divide the Western coalition and force it to abandon Ukraine by freezing and starving Ukrainians and driving up energy costs globally. However, according to Blinken, the strategy would not work.

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