Russia-Ukraine conflict: US defense official says Ukrainian forces are being trained to use howitzer artillery

The US is constantly sending over the much-needed military assistance to Ukraine as it continues to resist Russian forces in its new offensive in the Donbas region. US defense officials recently revealed that a group of Ukrainian forces is training to use howitzer artillery systems.

A US defense official revealed that a group of Ukrainian soldiers is being trained to use howitzer artillery systems amidst Kyiv’s continued calls for more weapons and military systems. The howitzer training was taking place in an area outside Ukraine and would take around a week for the group to learn its use.

“It’s a smallish number of Ukrainians, a little bit more than 50,” said the official.

The 155mm howitzer artillery systems were part of the recent $800 million weapons package sent over by the Biden administration to Ukraine and were pledged last week. It also included armored personnel carriers, helicopters, and thousands of artillery rounds. US President Joe Biden said the weapons would help bolster Ukrainian forces against the Russians as Russian forces are launching a new offensive in the eastern region of Donbas.

The US leader will be meeting Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and other top military leaders of the country, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, on Wednesday. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the US military would begin delivering more equipment to Ukraine in the coming days. Five US cargo flights have arrived in Ukraine in the past several days, and more than half a dozen are expected to arrive.

Meanwhile, top finance officials from several countries that are members of the G20 staged a walkout during a meeting in protest of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. British, US, and Canadian officials left the G20 meeting in Washington during the participation of Russian officials.

The UK’s finance minister Rishi Sunak later tweeted that they “are united in our condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and will push for stronger international coordination to punish Russia.”

Ukrainian officials who were present also walked out when the Russian delegation spoke at the meeting, a source told Reuters.