Just after the United States President Joe Biden announced an $800 million military aid package for Ukraine on Wednesday as international prosecutors declared the war-torn Western ally a “crime scene”, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that he is “sincerely thankful” to the US.

In his daily late-night address to the nation, he also said he was thankful for Wednesday’s visit by the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

Also read: Biden announces helicopters, artillery for Ukraine in new $800 million package

The US’ announcement came as the Russian military threatened to strike Ukraine’s command centres if the Ukrainian troops continued to attack Russian territory.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden, after a call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, announced another security assistance package worth $800 million for Ukraine, which included a variety of vehicles, in addition to weapons and ammunition.

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“I just spoke with President Zelenskyy and shared with him that my Administration is authorising an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance to Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement after the call.

“This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine,” the 79-year-old went on, explaining that the new package would provide Ukraine with the weapons needed to hold off Russian attacks on the Donbas region.

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Commenting on the contents of the package, the US President said, “These new capabilities include artillery systems, artillery rounds, and armoured personnel carriers. I have also approved the transfer of additional helicopters.”

The announcement comes days after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged 120 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, for which Zelensky publicly thanked the British leader and urged the rest of the West to follow suit in providing much-needed military support.