Ukraine to get $350M more in US defense aid, including anti-armor, small arms, munitions

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Ukrainian troops, civilians survey Kyiv missile damage

Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan reports from Kyiv, Ukraine, where small arms battles took place overnight.

The U.S. will further bolster Ukraine's defense in the face of Russian invasion with an unprecedented third payment of $350 million, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday.

The defense aid will include anti-armor, small arms and various munitions, and body armor and related equipment, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Saturday.

"I have authorized, pursuant to a delegation by the President, an unprecedented third Presidential drawdown of up to $350 million for immediate support to Ukraine’s defense," Blinken said Saturday. "This brings the total security assistance the United States has committed to Ukraine over the past year to more than $1 billion." 

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Blinken previously authorized an initial payment of $60 million last fall and another payment of $200 million in December. 

"This package will include further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing," Blinken added. "It is another clear signal that the United States stands with the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign, courageous, and proud nation."

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The economic fight that has taken place around the war remains a key element in trying to hold Russia accountable and limit its impact as well as keep Ukraine on even footing where possible. 

"While there may not be an Article 5 from NATO in our future, there's certainly nothing to stop the United States from checking his power with air power space assets, cyber assets, shows of force," Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Fox News. 

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And blockchain analytics firm Elliptic reported that NGOs and volunteer groups raised over $4 million in cryptoasset donations for Ukraine as of Friday, with over $3 million coming from a single unknown donor. 

European leaders approved to personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, but have yet to agree to cut Russia from the SWIFT banking system. 

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Some experts fear that Russia may turn to alternative currencies, such as cryptocurrencies, in order to get around the severe economic sanctions already imposed.