US transferred seized arms and ammo to Ukraine from shipment bound for Yemen
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The United States has transferred 5,000 rifles and over 500,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine, which were seized during transportation to Yemen, according to CENTCOM.
"On Apr. 4, 2024, the US government transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. This constitutes enough materiel to equip one UKR BDE with small arms rifles," the statement reads.
The command believes this weaponry will help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
It is noted that the US government acquired ownership rights to these ammunition on December 1, 2023, as a result of a civil forfeiture lawsuit by the Department of Justice against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
"These munitions were originally seized by US Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between 22 May 2021 to 15 Feb 2023. The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216," the statement said.
Aid to Ukraine from the USA
For several months now, the US has practically ceased providing military assistance to Ukraine. The reason is that Congress has not passed a bill with the appropriate funding.
In February, the US Senate approved a document proposing to allocate about $60 billion in aid to Ukraine. However, it got stuck in the House of Representatives.
House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to bring the initiative to a vote. He suggests changing some provisions of the bill, particularly regarding assistance in the form of loans.
Recently, Politico reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is negotiating with Johnson to advance the bill with funds for Ukraine.
