{"id":252406,"date":"2022-04-18T11:26:56","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T11:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=252406"},"modified":"2022-04-20T07:38:36","modified_gmt":"2022-04-20T07:38:36","slug":"bleeding-russia-after-powerful-atgms-us-could-now-supply-its-most-lethal-attack-drones-to-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=252406","title":{"rendered":"Bleeding Russia \u2013 After Powerful ATGMs, US Could Now Supply Its \u2018Most Lethal\u2019 Attack Drones To Ukraine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sakshi Tiwari \u2013 Eurasian Times April 15, 2022<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden pledged an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, broadening the scope of the systems offered, in a bid to include heavy artillery, Soviet-origin helicopters, and a barrage of lethal equipment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anticipating a lethal Russian military operation in Eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading with leaders in the US and Europe to give more lethal weapon systems that would aid his troops in delivering a decisive blow to the invading troops.<\/p>\n

In the face of Ukraine\u2019s stronger-than-expected fight, Russia has been unable to achieve most of its military objectives. However, alleged war crimes and atrocities against civilians by the Russian troops have triggered additional aid from the NATO countries, some of which include systems that were previously withheld.<\/p>\n

The new package includes<\/a> 11 Mi-17 helicopters that were supposed to be delivered to Afghanistan before the US-backed government fell apart last year. It also includes 155mm howitzers, 40,000 artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, 200 armored personnel carriers, and 300 more \u201cSwitchblade\u201d drones in the package<\/p>\n

Even as these systems that are currently on their way to Ukraine could be expected to give more teeth to Ukraine\u2019s fight, the United States could also dispatch its most advanced and lethal drones to Kyiv soon.<\/p>\n

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine\u2019s ambassador to the United States told<\/a> The Washington Post that she met with General Atomics executives last week to discuss the renowned Predator UAV and its heavier successor, the Reaper, as well as the smaller Gray Eagle.<\/p>\n

She was quoted as saying \u201cwe discussed with General Atomics the prospects of increasing the capacity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the current situation in Ukraine\u201d.<\/p>\n

She did not reveal what kind of equipment Ukraine was looking for from General Atomics, only stating that Ukraine would prefer to \u201csurprise Russia on the battlefield.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the spokesperson for General Atomic, C. Mark Brinkley told the Washington Times that sending aircraft to Ukraine would require US government approval. He also stated that the \u201cUkrainian pilots already familiar with drone operations would not be \u2018starting from scratch in learning how to fly them.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the manufacturer General Atomic has the drones ready to be transferred to Ukraine, the ball is in the US government\u2019s court that has so far calibrated the aid transfer to Ukraine against what could constitute aggression by Russia. It has refused to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine, however, that could be substituted by the armed drones.<\/p>\n

American Predators, Reapers for Ukraine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ukraine has deployed a large number of drones, many of which were purchased from Turkey, to carry out ambushes and aerial strikes on Russian troops. The Neptune missile strike on the Russian ship Moskva was also reportedly aided by the TB2 drones that distracted the adversary. The missile hit, which Moscow has denied, was also apparently observed by the drone, according<\/a> to Forbes.<\/p>\n

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Reportedly, the Ukrainians used a Bayraktar TB-2 drone to distract the Moskva. The Ukrainian Navy introduced TB-2s into service in August 2021. \/8 pic.twitter.com\/icVFy8ePp1<\/a><\/p>\n

— ChrisO (@ChrisO_wiki) April 14, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n