--- title: "Biden Spends Last Of Funds Set Aside To Purchase New Weapons For Ukraine" description: "With three weeks left before [President-elect Donald Trump takes office](), the Biden administration announced nearly $21 billion in new support for Ukraine. That includes two military aid packages - including the last funds the administration can spend to acquire new…" date: "2024-12-31" modified: "2024-12-31" authors: - name: "Howard Altman" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman" url: "https://www.twz.com/news-features/biden-spends-last-of-funds-set-aside-to-purchase-new-weapons-for-ukraine" categories: - "Americas" - "Around The Globe" - "Europe" - "News & Features" - "POTUS" - "Russia" - "U.S. Homeland" - "Ukraine" --- # Biden Spends Last Of Funds Set Aside To Purchase New Weapons For Ukraine ![The Biden administration spent the last of its funds earmarked to procure equipment for Ukraine from industry and partners.]() *SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images* With three weeks left before [President-elect Donald Trump takes office](), the Biden administration announced nearly $21 billion in new support for Ukraine. That includes two military aid packages - including the last funds the administration can spend to acquire new weapons for Ukraine. In addition, there is $3.5 billion for direct budgetary assistance to the Ukrainian government and $15 billion in frozen Russian assets. The DoD announced an approximately $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package to provide Ukraine with "additional air defense, air-to-ground, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and other capabilities to fight Russian aggression," according to the Pentagon. USAI funds are for items that have to be acquired from industry. This package empties that account of funds to procure weapons from industry or partners ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of Trump as president. The latest military donations include authorization of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, with an estimated value of $1.25 billion “to provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including missiles for air defense; munitions for rocket systems and artillery; and anti-tank weapons,” the Pentagon said in a statement. This is to send Ukraine weapons currently in U.S. stocks. Unlike USAI money, however, billions remain in the Biden administration's authority to donate these weapons. ![NASAMS Ukraine CEO Raytheon]() *National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) (Raytheon/Kongsberg Defense)* [As we noted earlier this month](), the Pentagon was scrambling to allocate about $6.8 billion in funds and authorities before they could dry up under the next administration. With the USAI account emptied and an additional $1.25 billion from the PDA account allocated, that leaves about $4.33 billion left for the Biden administration to directly donate from U.S. weapons stocks to Ukraine. It is unlikely that the entire amount will be spent before the Trump administration takes office, [a senior U.S. defense official told reporters](), including from *The War Zone*, earlier this month. “We will continue to do drawdown packages for the remainder of this administration,” the senior defense official explained at the time. “But $5.6 billion is a substantial amount of authority, so I would certainly anticipate that there could be remaining authority that would transition and be available for the next administration to use.” The capabilities in this announcement include: • Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems ([NASAMS]()); • HAWK air defense munitions; • Stinger missiles; • Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) munitions; • Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); • 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition; • Air-to-ground munitions; • High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs); • Unmanned Aerials Systems (UAS); • Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems; • Tube-launched, Optically guided, Wire-tracked (TOW) missiles; • Small arms and ammunition and grenades; • Demolitions equipment and munitions; • Secure communications equipment; • Commercial satellite imagery services; • Medical equipment; • Clothing and individual equipment; and • Spare parts, maintenance and sustainment support, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation. ![MiG-29 HARM firing Ukraine]() *Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum firing a U.S.-made High-speed Anti-radiation missile (HARM). (Ukrainian Air Force Screencap)* Since taking office, the Biden administration has provided more than $66 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, according to the Pentagon. "...my Administration is fully utilizing the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine," [Biden said in a statement on Monday.]() "I’ve directed my Administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible — including drawing down older U.S. equipment for Ukraine, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and then revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish our stockpiles with new weapons. The Department of Defense is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles which will strengthen Ukraine’s hand as it heads into the winter. At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office." https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1873690437862756815 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered his gratitude for the latest arms packages. "This support comes at a critical moment, as Russia intensifies its assaults, even resorting to involving North Korean soldiers and continuing to receive weapons from North Korea and Iran," he said. "Every act of solidarity from our partners saves lives, strengthens our independence, and reinforces our resilience. It also demonstrates that democracies are stronger then autocratic aggressors." https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1873738983810666879 Ukraine will also receive $3.4 billion in direct budget support, [Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Monday.]() "Our direct budget support to Ukraine arrives at a critical time as Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure," Yellen said in a statement. "Economic assistance from the United States and our allies is crucial for Ukraine’s ability to defend its sovereignty and achieve a just peace by maintaining the critical government services that underpin its brave fight." In coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development and Department of State, this $3.4 billion in assistance "marks the final disbursement of funds appropriated under the bipartisan Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024," Yellen explained. "Our direct budget support continues to be conditioned on reforms related to strengthening law enforcement, improving transparency and efficiency of government institutions, and bolstering anti-corruption rules and procedures." https://twitter.com/SecYellen/status/1873802235140088098 In addition to aiding Ukraine with its own funds, the U.S. will provide it with $15 billion secured by future revenues from frozen Russian assets, Ukrainian Prime Minister [Denys Shmyhal announced on Telegram](). “The relevant agreement was signed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance and the World Bank,” he explained. “These will be funds within the framework of the PEACE in Ukraine project and part of the U.S. contribution of $20 billion under the G7 initiative, which will be directed to social and humanitarian spending. We thank the United States and the World Bank for implementing and supporting the initiative that is making Russia pay for its aggression against Ukraine.” https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1873682624566513914 As we noted earlier in the story, it is unclear yet if the Biden administration will be able to spend the remaining $4.33 billion in PDA authority earmarked for Ukraine before Trump returns to the White House. [As we have previously noted](), there are mixed signals about what his approach toward this war and future funding for Ukraine might be. Some close to Trump have suggested that the front lines be frozen as they are, Ukraine hold off on joining NATO and European troops keep the peace as part of any agreement to end the war. Russian officials, however, dismissed that concept. "Judging from numerous leaks and [Donald Trump’s interview with *Tim*e magazine]() on December 12, their idea is to suspend hostilities along the line of contact and transfer responsibility for confrontation with Russia to the Europeans," Russian Foreign Minister [Sergei Lavrov said on Monday](). "We are not happy, of course, with the proposals made by members of the Trump team to postpone Ukraine’s admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Russia’s position of principle regarding the Ukrainian settlement is well known. It has been put forth by President Vladimir Putin on many occasions, including at the December 19 annual news conference. We have always been ready for talks, and we still are." https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1873397190158426475 Given Russia's early reaction to elements of a potential Trump peace plan, there is no telling how he may position the U.S. when it comes time to determining how much aid Ukraine could receive under his administration. [In his recent interview with *Time*](), Trump was pressed on whether there will be continued U.S. support for Ukraine in his administration. He offered a clue about his looming approach. "I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you're going to reach an agreement is not to abandon," he said. ## The Latest On the battlefield, amid continuing Russian gains across the eastern front, Ukraine recaptured some territory it lost this year. Here are some key takeaways from the Institute for the Study of War’s (ISW) [latest assessment](): - Kursk: Russian forces continued assaults in the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on Dec. 28 and 29 but did not make any confirmed advances. - Kharkiv: Russian forces continued ground attacks northeast of Kharkiv City near Hatyshche and Vovchansk on Dec. 28 and 29 but did not make any confirmed advances. - Luhansk: Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on Dec. 29 but did not make any confirmed advances. - Donetsk: Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Siversk direction on Dec. 30 but did not make any confirmed advances. They recently marginally advanced northwest of Kurakhove, toward Vuhledar and near Velyka Novosilka. Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in central Chasiv Yar while both sides recently advanced in the Toretsk and Pokrovsk directions. - Kherson: Russian forces continued assaults in the Dnipro direction and on the islands in the Dnipro River Delta on Dec. 29 and 30 but did not make any confirmed advances. https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1874094248565629327 North Korean troops fighting in Kursk recently saw more than 1,000 troops killed or wounded, the White House National Security spokesman told reporters, including from *The War Zone*. “We now assess that North Korean forces are conducting massed, dismounted assaults against Ukrainian positions in Kursk,” John Kirby said on Friday. “And these human wave tactics that we're seeing haven't really been all that effective. In fact, we assess that they've resulted in heavy casualties for these North Korean forces. Our estimate is that, to date, they have suffered more than 1,000 killed or wounded in this particular fighting in just the past week of them fighting on the front lines.” Russian and North Korean military leaders “are treating these troops as expendable and ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses,” Kirby added. “These North Korean soldiers appear to be highly indoctrinated, pushing attacks even when it is clear that those attacks are futile. We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured.” https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1873013843024330948 Greece has agreed to provide Ukraine with 24 [RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]() missiles, [the Greek *Ekathimerini* news outlet reported](). “These missiles, which have been in use for nearly 40 years, are from Greece’s naval and air force stockpiles and have been deemed unnecessary for operational use by Greek military standards,” the publication reported. Back in January 2023, *TWZ*[ reported]() on how Ukraine was set to receive an undisclosed number of radar-guided RIM-7 missiles, to be integrated into the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ existing Buk air defense systems, known as ['Franken-SAMs']() due to their cobbled-together nature. This transfer “is part of Greece’s broader military aid to Ukraine, which includes artillery shells, weaponry and ammunition,” *Ekathimerini* stated. “While the assistance aligns with Greece’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense efforts, it does not diminish Greece’s defense capabilities in the Aegean,” the publication noted. “Despite repeated requests from allies for advanced systems like the S-300 and Patriot missiles, Athens has firmly declined, citing security concerns and the absence of reliable replacement options.” https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1873577803154645472 Zelensky said [189 Ukrainian prisoners](), including military personnel, border guards and national guards — along with two civilians — were freed in one of the largest prisoner exchanges with Russia during the war. He thanked the UAE for helping negotiate the exchange. Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said that 150 Russian soldiers were freed from captivity as part of the exchange in which each side released 150 people. The reason for the discrepancy is not clear. https://twitter.com/United24media/status/1874074066446901507 In the wake of [the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad](), Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Damascus on Dec. 30. It marked the first official Ukrainian delegation to Syria in years. During the trip, he held talks with Syria’s de-facto leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa. “The first visit of an official Ukrainian delegation to Syria in many years indicates a willingness to open a new page in bilateral relations between the countries,” [Sybiha noted on Telegram](). “The elimination of the Russian presence in Syria will contribute to the stability not only of the Syrian state, but also of the entire Middle East and Africa. Even if it takes some time.” Ukraine “is ready to share with Syria its experience in collecting evidence, investigating, and working to bring war criminals to justice for the crimes they committed,” Sybiha added. In addition, he informed Al-Sharaa that starting Tuesday, “more than two dozen trucks will arrive in Syria, delivering 500 tons of Ukrainian flour as part of the humanitarian program ‘Grain from Ukraine.’” https://twitter.com/azelin/status/1873686157369983202?s=12 Ukraine's use of U.S.-made[ Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)]() munitions has tailed off, [according to *The New York Times*](). The Biden administration [shipped]() Ukraine as many as 500 missiles from Pentagon stockpiles, U.S. officials told the publication. Initially not allowed to use them in Russia, Ukraine began [firing them in October 2023]() at targets in eastern Ukraine and Crimea held by Russians. The missiles were aimed at hardened command and control posts, weapons storage areas and some other bunkers. Ukraine was [finally permitted to fire ATACMS into Russia]() last month. [As we previously reported ]()after Biden gave his go-ahead, the first ATACMS strikes inside Russia took place in the middle of November, at a target in the Bryansk region. At that point, Ukraine had only “tens of the missiles” left — maybe about 50, the two U.S. officials told the *NYT*, adding there was no likelihood that Kyiv would get more. “The limited American supplies had already been assigned for deployment in the Middle East and Asia,” the *Times* noted. “Officials in Britain, which allowed Ukraine to use its long-range \[[Storm Shadow air-based cruise missiles]()\] inside Russia after Mr. Biden’s decision, also said recently that it didn’t have many more to provide.” It is unlikely that Trump will step in to fill the gap when he takes office. [He recently told *Time* magazine]() that he disagreed “very vehemently” with Ukraine’s use of ATACMS in Russian territory and called Biden’s decision to provide them “foolish.” The next day, the Kremlin said Trump’s position “fully aligned” with Moscow. “Since the United States and Britain granted permission, Ukraine has launched at least a half-dozen missile strikes, using at least 31 ATACMS and 14 Storm Shadows, according to the Russian Defense Ministry and Russian military bloggers,” the *Times* explained. “The Ukrainian military does not comment on the use of the missiles, but neither the United States nor Ukraine has challenged those reports.” https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1872703071794675768 A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at a fuel depot in Russia’s Smolensk region on Tuesday, its governor said on Telegram. “Today in the Yartsevo district, the air defense systems of the Russian Ministry of Defense suppressed an attack by Ukrainian UAVs,” [Smolensk region Governor Vasily Anokhin claimed](). “According to preliminary information, the wreckage of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles fell on the territory of an oil depot. As a result, a fuel spill occurred and a fire started in the fuel and lubricants.” Rescue services are on scene, he noted. “There is no threat to residential buildings,” Anokhin added. “We kindly ask you not to approach UAV wreckage if you find it.” https://twitter.com/Hromadske/status/1874017661145014456 Ukraine used its new [Peklo drone]() to attack the key Druzhba oil pipeline near the city of Novozybkov in Russia’s Bryansk region, [the Russian *Mash* media outlet reported on Monday](). The facility in the village of Mamai, about 35 miles north of the border, was struck Monday at 4:30 a.m. local time, according to *Mash*. “The pipeline was not damaged - as a result of the attack, a technical building on the territory was partially destroyed,” *Mash* stated. “No one was hurt." The section of the oil pipeline is the last pumping point before the border, *Mash* noted. “From there, oil goes to Europe, among other places." The attack came after Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico reminded Ukraine of a possible suspension of electricity supplies. On Dec. 27, Fico announced that his government would evaluate potential reciprocal measures against Ukraine, including halting electricity supplies, if Ukraine stops the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia after Jan. 1. “After Jan. 1, we will assess the situation and the possibilities of reciprocal measures against Ukraine,” [Fico said in a video address](). [Peklo](), which means "Hell" in Ukrainian, has a reported range of 700 kilometers (435 miles) and can reach speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour (435 mph). https://twitter.com/noelreports/status/1873685103827902700?s=12 https://twitter.com/heroiam\_slava/status/1873714846304551046?s=12 The drone wars continue to see iterative advances. The following video shows Ukraine using first-person view (FPV) drone-mounted shotguns as a counter-drone weapon. It can be seen blasting another drone out of the sky. “For the first time on video - hard drive drones shoot down other drones with shotguns,” [the Ukrainian LesiaUA organization](), which is developing the drone, [stated on its Telegram channel](). It’s unclear how widely the shotgun drone has been fielded, however, FPV drones are playing an increasing counter-UAS role for Ukraine. As of late November, a single project involving[ such drones has accounted for the destruction of more than 400 Russian UAVs](), including Orlan, Zala, and Lancet loitering munitions, [according to the *Defense Express news outlet*]()*.* https://twitter.com/BroderickM\_/status/1873005541167173875 Russia has previously experimented with shotgun shell-firing FPV drones as you can see in the following video. Unlike the Ukrainian model, the one depicted last month shows one improvised barrel. https://twitter.com/GrandpaRoy2/status/1857131279822860700 With shotguns being seen as a possible counter-drone measure both in the air and on the ground, Russia is teaching its troops how to use them in that role. The video below shows a 12 gauge shotgun training day with Master of Sport Anya Taranosova. https://twitter.com/GrandpaRoy2/status/1873088583978107358 In something of an ancient twist on what's become a ubiquitous weapon of modern war, the Russians have attacked a stick to one of their drones to enable it to attack Ukrainian drones. https://twitter.com/logka11/status/1873484085605417273?s=12 Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops say that typical shotgun shell loads are ineffective against even small drones. You can read more about this [here](). A kinetic-kill interceptor drone from the German company [TYTAN Technologies]() is undergoing testing in Ukraine. Designed to attack other drones, the interceptor can reach speeds of 250 km/h (155 mph) and has a range of about 15 kilometers (about nine miles), according to the company. The drone has a payload of 1 kg (about 2.2 pounds). “The manufacturer plans to equip the drone with an automatic guidance system based on machine vision,” [according to the Ukrainian Tysk Telegram channel](). “According to Brave1, representatives of the Security and Defense Forces highly appreciated the capabilities of the interceptor.” https://twitter.com/bayraktar\_1love/status/1873432215386010080 The Kalashnikov Concern, famous for its AK assault rifle family, announced the first flight of its KUB-10E guided munition. The weapon “is designed to destroy enemy unarmored military equipment and armored personnel carriers, command posts, air defense and missile defense facilities, electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare, rear support facilities, combat and rear support units and subdivisions, field warehouses for storing ammunition and fuel and lubricants, launch sites for unmanned aerial vehicle systems, and aircraft (helicopters) outside shelters at airfields (sites) of basing,” [the company claimed on its website](). The catapult-launched KUB-10E has a cruising speed of 100 kmh (about 62 mph) and a flight altitude range from 100 meters (about 328 feet) to 2,500 meters ( about 8.202 feet), Kalashnikov suggested. “The range and combat power of the new guided munition significantly exceed the performance of previous models in the line,” the company explained. The weapon “is aimed at specified coordinates, data from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS)...It can be used at any time of the day, in simple and difficult meteorological conditions, in winds with gusts of up to 15 m/s, in the range of ambient temperatures (at the earth's surface) from -30°C (about -22 F) to 40°C (about 104 F)." Kalashnikov did not specify the size of the warhead or the weapon's range. https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1872802604381827162 Several new Ukrainian uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV) were recently seen on display. The following video offers a glimpse, including some with what appear to be thermal imaging cameras, allowing them to operate at night. https://twitter.com/GrandpaRoy2/status/1873326034684391680 Ukraine’s National Police identified a Russian officer it claims is responsible for killing the Bucha resident whose photo with a red manicure became a symbol of reported Russian atrocities. [Several bodies discovered]() after the city was liberated on March 31, 2022, showed evidence of torture, [*Euromaidan Press* noted](). “Many were found in mass graves or lying in streets with their hands bound and shot at close range,” according to the publication. “Sexual violence was also reported as a weapon of war, with Ukrainian officials stating that Russian soldiers committed rapes against women and girls aged 14 to 24.” The suspect is Artyom Tareyev, born in 1995, commander of the 234th Assault Regiment of Russia’s 76th Airborne Division, [according to Bucha city council](). On March 5, 2022, Tareyev ordered his troops to shoot at all civilians who appeared near the intersection of Yablunska and Vodoprovidna streets in Bucha. That same day, Iryna Filkina was killed while cycling – shot with 15 bullets from automatic weapons and a BMD-2 armored vehicle, the Bucha city council stated. A photo of her hand with a red manicure went viral. https://twitter.com/euromaidanpress/status/1873708488876277952?s=12 Ukrainian Special Operations Forces released a video of its troops clearing a village in the Kursk region after an artillery barrage, killing a number of Russian and North Korean troops in the process. The video was geolocated to the village of Kruglen'koe. https://twitter.com/SOF\_UKR/status/1874020367821644160 Ukraine attacked a Russian rail station in the Kursk city of Lgov, the Russian Operativnaya\_Zona Telegram channel claimed. Lgov is a key rail and logistics hub for Russia, where reinforcements flow. It is located about 30 miles north of Szudha, the command center for Ukraine's operations in that region. The attack was reportedly carried out by a U.S.-donated M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems[ ]()[(HIMARS)]() just after Russian reinforcements arrived. https://twitter.com/noelreports/status/1873784230834299084?s=12 The Ukrainian Special Operations Intelligence Unit known as Asp released a compilation video of drone attacks on Russian forces attacking the city of Toretsk in the Donetsk region. https://twitter.com/GloOouD/status/1873848941336539637 The power of the U.S.-donated [Bradley Fighting Vehicle]() was on display in the following video. It shows the Bradley raking a house where Russians had gathered with its [Bushmaster M242 25 mm automatic cannon]() and missiles from its [dual-tube BMG-71 TOW]() (Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wireless-Guided) missile launcher. https://twitter.com/front\_ukrainian/status/1873858193794937288?s=12 In an example of how dangerous it is to handle explosives, a Russian sapper suffered massive injuries as he was trying to add a fuse to a weapon. Warning: Graphic content to follow. The incident was recorded by a comrade, who you can see backing up just before the accidental explosion. Pictures taken afterward show just how badly he was injured in the blast. https://twitter.com/theinformant\_x/status/1873091085242884409 So-called [cope cages]() continue to remain in fashion for both Ukraine and Russia. A newly released video shows a Ukrainian High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) covered in so much added caging and armor that it looks like a rolling chicken coop. Both sides have been modifying their vehicles with such additions to help protect against drones. Ukraine has [received more than 5,000 of these vehicles](), also known as Humvees, from the U.S. It has lost at least 137 on the battlefield, according to the[ Oryx open-source tracking group](). That figure includes at least 101 that have been destroyed, 12 damaged, nine abandoned and 14 damaged and captured. Those figures could be higher because Oryx only tabulates losses for which it has visual confirmation. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1873646058510921917 A Portuguese-donated Ka-32A11BC utility helicopter donated to Ukraine was recently videoed conducting operations in Kyiv. Portugal sent Ukraine six of the helicopters, which it used as firefighting aircraft but they had eventually become inoperable and considered most likely to be[ used for spare parts](). At least one defied those predictions. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1871766648635728321 And finally, add Russia to Santa's naughty list. The country released a video depicting the Westernized version of Jolly St. Nick - flying a sleigh full of NATO-bound weapons over the Kremlin - being destroyed by a Russian air defense system. "Holy shit," Santa is heard uttering in the seconds before he was blown out of the sky. “Target destroyed," said Ded Moroz, the Slavic version of Santa, to an air defense operator in the video. "We don’t need anything foreign in our world. Happy New Year!” https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1872597409764941874 That's it for now. *Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com* ## Author Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for *TWZ*. He writes frequently about conflict, focusing heavily on the Middle East and Ukraine, and interviews with military and intelligence officials and industry leaders from around the globe. He lives near Tampa, Florida, home of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]()