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Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid News

News🔷Military Aid Monday, 30th December 2024, 14:55
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Table of Contents 📖

Topic IDTopic TitleTimestamp
1Hello Team00:00-00:30
2US to provide $15bn in aid to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets00:30-01:05
3US $2.5bn Military Aid Package - Overview01:05-03:03
4Ukraine's Military Personnel Challenges03:03-04:01
5Russian Reaction to US Aid Package 04:01-04:35
6Ukraine receives €150m in Military Aid from Denmark, France and Lithuania04:35-06:20
7Breakdown of the €150m Aid Package06:20-07:00
8Jonathan speculates on Ukrainian Production of Artillery Installations07:00-08:12
9Latvia sends 1000 Combat Drones to Ukraine and commits €20m for future purchases in 2025 08:12-09:30
10Ukrainian Acquisition of Polish Tractor Plant for Armoured Vehicle Production09:30-10:58
11Germany Develops New Drone Interceptor "Brave One" and Tests it With Ukrainian Operators10:58-12:12
12Jonathan's views on the Importance of Military Collaboration12:12-13:08
13Ukraine Develops Larger Ground Drones13:08-13:46
14Humvees in Ukraine are being modified with improved Cope Cages13:46-15:25
15German Peacekeeping Role in Ukraine Dependent on Russia's Consent15:25-16:26
16Wrap Up16:26-16:34

"Getting involved in Support Ukraine is about improving your own defence capabilities and swapping best practices and understanding the needs on the battlefield."

Hello Team

🎦 00:00-00:30
Jonathan welcomes everyone to the channel for the second part of the daily Ukraine War Update, a military aid news update. He has already uploaded a breaking news video about today's topic - the large US aid package to Ukraine so he won't repeat the details in this video.

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US to provide $15bn in aid to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets

🎦 00:30-01:05
There were hints last night that the US would be announcing a new aid package, with Zelensky alluding to it as well. $15 billion is expected to be transferred imminently from frozen Russian assets (profits and future revenues). Jonathan suspects this is being done before Trump properly assumes the Presidency.

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US $2.5bn Military Aid Package - Overview

🎦 01:05-03:03
The US has announced a $2.5bn military aid package for Ukraine which includes:

  • $1.25bn from Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) - equipment from US stocks
  • $1.22bn from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) - orders for the American defence industry

Biden's statement didn't provide specifics, but mentioned providing an immediate influx of capabilities (PDA) and longer-term supplies of air defense, artillery, and other critical weapons systems (likely from USAI). Jonathan speculates that the $1.22bn in USAI funds could be used to procure new equipment such as Patriot missile systems, HIMARS, or M777 howitzers. He believes that this funding is effectively being used to upgrade American defence capabilities as well. Jonathan is impressed with the size of the package - $17.5bn in total and exactly what Ukraine needs.

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Ukraine's Military Personnel Challenges

🎦 03:03-04:01
Despite the influx of military aid, Ukraine still faces a significant challenge in terms of manpower. They need more personnel to operate the equipment, and it remains unclear if they can further increase mobilization efforts or receive foreign assistance in this regard. Jonathan suggests the potential for Western peacekeepers to be deployed to western Ukraine, enabling Ukrainian troops to be redeployed to the front lines. However, he believes that Western boots on the ground are only likely if a ceasefire is agreed.

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Russian Reaction to US Aid Package

🎦 04:01-04:35
Russian milbloggers, unsurprisingly, are reacting negatively to the news, with one suggesting that the US is trying to prevent any chance of a truce. Jonathan agrees that a truce is unlikely in the near future, given that the US is providing significant military support to Ukraine, including the transfer of artillery rounds and missiles.

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Ukraine receives €150m in Military Aid from Denmark, France and Lithuania

🎦 04:35-06:20
Ukrainian Defence Minister, Oleksii Reznikov has announced that Denmark, France, and Lithuania will provide a combined €150m in aid to Ukraine. Importantly, this aid is specifically intended to support Ukraine's domestic defence industry. This is important because Ukraine's defence industry has the capacity to produce significant amounts of military equipment, but has faced a funding shortfall of around $10 billion. With this new funding, Jonathan believes Ukraine will be able to scale up its domestic production of weapons and equipment, including long-range munitions like missiles, rockets, and drones. Jonathan suggests this could allow Ukraine to strike targets within Russia with reduced risk to its own personnel.

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Breakdown of the €150m Aid Package

🎦 06:20-07:00
The €150 million aid package is broken down as follows:

  • €111m from Denmark to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces via the implementation of agreements within the framework of cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Strategic Industry, and the Ministry of Defense of Denmark.
  • €29m from France in grant funding to bolster Ukraine's security and defence capabilities.


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Jonathan speculates on Ukrainian Production of Artillery Installations

🎦 07:00-08:12
Jonathan speculates that Ukraine may use some of this new funding to scale up production of the Bohdana self-propelled howitzer. He also wonders if Ukraine has plans to develop its own HIMARS-like rocket artillery system, or mobile launch platforms for Neptune anti-ship missiles. He notes that Ukraine has already been producing long-range weapons like the Trembita and Nexion R360 drones, but questions how they'll be launched, as this requires specialised equipment. He wonders if this is also being developed in Ukraine.

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Latvia sends 1000 Combat Drones to Ukraine and commits €20m for future purchases in 2025

🎦 08:12-09:30
In addition to the financial aid, Latvia has also prepared a shipment of over 1,000 combat drones to Ukraine. Jonathan highlights that Latvia is a leading member of the drone coalition alongside the UK, and plans to allocate a further €20 million for drone purchases in 2025. He presumes this refers to the purchase of drones from Latvian manufacturers for delivery to Ukraine. He sees this as a shrewd move by Latvia, stimulating its own economy by supporting domestic drone production while providing Ukraine with much-needed equipment.

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Ukrainian Acquisition of Polish Tractor Plant for Armoured Vehicle Production

🎦 09:30-10:58
Jonathan reports that a bankrupt Polish tractor plant, URSA, will be acquired by a Ukrainian company and repurposed for the production of armoured vehicles. He sees this as a further sign of a resurgence in the European defence industry, with companies seeing a long-term opportunity to profit from the increased demand for military equipment. He questions whether this is a wise investment, given that the war in Ukraine could end relatively soon if the US forces a negotiated settlement. However, he acknowledges that there is also a growing need for European countries to bolster their own defences in light of the threat posed by Russia, as well as potential future conflicts involving China and Taiwan.

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Germany Develops New Drone Interceptor "Brave One" and Tests it With Ukrainian Operators

🎦 10:58-12:12
Jonathan reports that Germany has developed a new drone interceptor called “Brave One,” which has been tested by Ukrainian drone operators. The drone can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, has a range of 20km, and has been well-received by Ukrainian military personnel. Germany now plans to connect the drone's manufacturer, Titan Technologies, with Ukrainian developers to facilitate knowledge sharing and product improvement. Jonathan believes that this type of collaboration is essential, as it enables participating countries to enhance their own defence capabilities, share best practices, and better understand battlefield requirements.

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Jonathan's views on the Importance of Military Collaboration

🎦 12:12-13:08
Jonathan believes that the UK and Latvia’s leadership within the drone coalition is primarily motivated by a desire to improve their own drone capabilities. He argues that by supporting Ukraine, these countries gain valuable experience and insight into the development and deployment of drones in a modern battlefield environment. This, in turn, strengthens their own defence capabilities and enables them to better respond to future threats, such as those posed by the Houthis in Yemen.

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Ukraine Develops Larger Ground Drones

🎦 13:08-13:46
A video shared on social media shows a variety of ground drones being used in Ukraine, some considerably larger than previously seen. While the exact purpose of these larger drones is unclear, Jonathan speculates that they could be equipped with a variety of weapons, such as MANPADS, ATGMs, or heavy machine guns. He notes that both sides in the conflict are investing heavily in developing their ground drone capabilities.

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Humvees in Ukraine are being modified with improved Cope Cages

🎦 13:46-15:25
A Ukrainian Humvee has been spotted with a substantial cope cage, designed to protect it from drone attacks. Jonathan acknowledges that while these cages might have seemed excessive at the beginning of the war, they are now a necessary precaution. He recalls how the crude cope cages seen early in the war, intended to protect against RPG-7s, were often mocked for their inability to stop more advanced anti-tank weapons like Javelins and NLAW. However, the new generation of cope cages are specifically designed to detonate drones before they can reach the vehicle itself, significantly improving their effectiveness.

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🎦 15:25-16:26
Germany's potential involvement in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine has been thrown into question, with Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU, stating that Russia's consent would be required. This aligns with Jonathan’s earlier point that Western troops are unlikely to be deployed to Ukraine while active fighting is still ongoing. He believes that any peacekeeping mission will only occur after a formal ceasefire and agreement to freeze the front lines is reached. He does not believe that Western troops will be deployed before this in order to free up Ukrainian troops to be deployed on the front lines.

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Wrap Up

🎦 16:26-16:34
Jonathan ends the video as usual.

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Summaries based on original content from Jonathan MS Pearce

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