Ukraine Aid Package Valued at up to $200 Million, White House Says

 This photograph shows a building destroyed by shelling in the town of Toretsk, Donetsk region, on July 29, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
This photograph shows a building destroyed by shelling in the town of Toretsk, Donetsk region, on July 29, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
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Ukraine Aid Package Valued at up to $200 Million, White House Says

 This photograph shows a building destroyed by shelling in the town of Toretsk, Donetsk region, on July 29, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
This photograph shows a building destroyed by shelling in the town of Toretsk, Donetsk region, on July 29, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)

The United States announced a new security assistance package for Ukraine on Monday that is valued at up to $200 million and includes air defenses and anti-tank weapons, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said.

"This includes a presidential drawdown authority package to provide Ukraine with key capabilities for the fight that they're in, including air defense interceptors, munitions for US- provided HIMARS, artillery and mortar rounds, javelin anti-tank missiles and other anti-tank weapons," Kirby told reporters.

He said the Department of Defense also is announcing significant security assistance initiative funds to support Ukraine's defenses over the long term.

"That package includes capabilities to augment Ukraine's air defenses, long range fires and anti-tank weapons, and to sustain equipment previously committed by the United States," Kirby said.

Biden has authorized nine security assistance packages since late April, he said.

Ukrainian officials have been urging their allies for months to supply more air defense systems to counter frequent missile and drone attacks from Russian forces.

The United States has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion worth of military aid since 2022, but there are concerns about the future of US support for Kyiv should Donald Trump win the Nov. 5 presidential election.

"We are grateful to our American partners for their leadership and staunch support. Together, we will win!" the Ukrainian defense ministry said in an X post welcoming the new package.



North Korea Mobilizes Military Helicopters for Flood Rescue

28 July 2024, North Korea, North Pyongan: This image provided by the North Korean state news agency KCNA on 29 July, 2024 shows flooded areas in North Pyongan province, according to KCNA. Photo: Uncredited/kcna/kns/dpa
28 July 2024, North Korea, North Pyongan: This image provided by the North Korean state news agency KCNA on 29 July, 2024 shows flooded areas in North Pyongan province, according to KCNA. Photo: Uncredited/kcna/kns/dpa
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North Korea Mobilizes Military Helicopters for Flood Rescue

28 July 2024, North Korea, North Pyongan: This image provided by the North Korean state news agency KCNA on 29 July, 2024 shows flooded areas in North Pyongan province, according to KCNA. Photo: Uncredited/kcna/kns/dpa
28 July 2024, North Korea, North Pyongan: This image provided by the North Korean state news agency KCNA on 29 July, 2024 shows flooded areas in North Pyongan province, according to KCNA. Photo: Uncredited/kcna/kns/dpa

North Korea deployed military helicopters to bring thousands of people stranded in a flood-hit zone to safety, state media reported Monday.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported leader Kim Jong Un last week "personally guided" a military rescue -- including 10 helicopters and navy lifeboats -- shaking the hands of the pilots "one by one".
Kim reprimanded officials for their failure to prepare and respond to the recent torrential rains, despite previous orders to enhance the country's measures against natural disasters, it said.
Last week, North Korea conducted a crisis response meeting to discuss strategies to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on agriculture, AFP said.
North Korea has been enduring record-breaking downpours, and one day in July Kaesong City experienced an unprecedented 463 mm (18.2 inches) of rain.
South Korea's meteorological administration said it was the highest recorded in the North in 29 years.
Natural disasters tend to have a greater impact on the isolated and impoverished North due to its weak infrastructure, while deforestation has left it vulnerable to flooding.
The North has been working to prevent floods, including releasing water from a dam near the inter-Korean border, raising flooding concerns in the South.
South Korea's environment ministry said in early July that North Korea had likely discharged water from the Hwanggang Dam near the inter-Korean border without prior notification, something they have not done in recent years.
Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years.
Pyongyang unilaterally cut off all official military and political communication links with Seoul in 2020 and blew up a disused inter-Korean liaison office on its side of the border.
It has not been responding to inter-Korean hotline calls since April 2023.