Thread by @jseldin

NEW: Just announced $800 million security package for #Ukraine "tailored to meet urgent Ukrainian needs" in advance of expected #Russia|n assault on eastern Ukraine, per @PentagonPresSec

Per @PentagonPresSec, the $800 million package is the 7th such drawdown for #Ukraine, since August 2021

Says US has given #Ukraine $3.2 billion in security assistance since start of the Biden admin., $2.6 billion since start of #Russia's invasion in February

New security assistance to #Ukraine could start arriving in as little as 4-5 days, per @PentagonPresSec

Says make-up of package result of conversations w/#Ukrainian officials about what is needed in eastern Ukraine, including today's call btw @POTUS & @ZelenskyyUa

NEW: Some of the new assistance - howitzers, counter artillery radar, air surveillance radar, laser range finders, Claymores - may require additional training for #Ukraine forces, per @PentagonPresSec

US expects it can be done "very very quickly"

"We're still working out way through what that's going to look like" per @PentagonPresSec on additional training for #Ukraine forces

"It will likely be tailored," to train more trainers, he says, as war is ongoing

.@PentagonPresSec says ask #Putin, #Kremlin about how #Russia will view the latest US aid to #Ukraine

Says the US is "doing what we said we were going to do" since before Russia invaded to help Ukraine

NEW: Latest $800 million aid package to #Ukraine included chemical/bio/nuclear protective gear - protective suits, individual protection devices, per @PentagonPresSec

"The #Ukrainians believe its the prudent thing to do" per @PentagonPresSec on inclusion of Chemical/biological/nuclear protective gear in latest aid pkg

Need is "based on long-standing concerns we've had abt the potential for the #Russia|ns to use these weapons"

Artillery, rounds headed to #Ukraine ID'd by #Kyiv as a critical need, per @PentagonPresSec

"If they need additional artillery rounds, clearly the United States will do what it can to fill those needs"

#Ukraine soon "will be facing #Russia|n forces that are familiar w/the territory in that part of #Ukraine...more Russian troops applied to the #Donbas than they have right now, & they will be resupplied" per @PentagonPresSec

Says Russian will also have shorter supply lines

"As far as I know, the [US-#Russia] deconfliction line is still operational" per @PentagonPresSec

Not aware any information has been shared via the line

Helicopters to #Ukraine - US sending 11 Mi-17s originally slated to go to #Afghanistan's military

@PentagonPresSec said 5 Mi-17s had been sent previously

#Russia - "They still have a significant of combat power & capabilities available to them" per @PentagonPresSec

re #Ukraine

"We are going to move this as fast as we can" per @PentagonPresSec, on getting new $800 million pkg to #Ukraine before #Kremlin unleashes new campaign in the #Donbas

"They're [#Russia] not fully up to readiness for this renewed push...We have a good sense of Russian efforts"

US confident it can get #Ukraine critical aid before #Russia unleashes renewed push in E. #Ukraine, #Donbas

"They're [#Russia] not fully up to readiness for this" per @PentagonPresSec "We're taking advantage of every day, every hour to get this stuff there as fast as we can"