Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian forces for more than three months, has to now completely depend on allies for arms as it has depleted its stocks of Soviet and Russian-designed weaponry, US military sources say. 

Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union, had built Soviet and Russian-standard equipment, small arms, tanks, howitzers and other weapons. However, since the invasion started on February 24, that equipment has been used up or destroyed in battle, the US sources said.

Kyiv’s forces are now using arms sent to them by the United States and European NATO allies.

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At the end of May, the US announced military assistance worth $4.6 billion for Ukraine, the UK announced military aid worth £1.3 billion, while the EU declared €2 billion in military support. 

Despite the aid, the West has been concerned about their advanced weapons technology falling into Russia’s hands.

Ukraine’s allies have offered up their own stockpiles of Russian-standard equipment, including tanks and helicopters, to bolster Kyiv’s troops.

The United States also tried to gather weapons that would match Ukraine’s needs from ex-Soviet countries. However, those are also now used up or destroyed. 

“They are gone from the world,” a US official said of the Soviet and Russian-standard arms.

Ukrainian forces are now having to shift to unfamiliar arms built to Western specifications. The US is currently sending weapons in stages.

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The latest $700 million package announced on June 1 includes four Himars artillery systems, 1,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles and four Soviet-standard Mi-17 helicopters. It also includes 15,000 howitzer shells, 15 light armored vehicles and other ammunition.

The US has also agreed to send M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which fires precision-guided rockets that can hit targets up to 70km (45 miles) away.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that it will expand the list of targets in Ukraine if countries send long-range weapons to Kyiv.

White House officials said they agreed to send the rockets only after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assured them that they would not use the weapons to attack targets inside Russia.