Ukraine war: US sends Kyiv more ammunition amid fears stocks running short

The US is to give $400m (£333m) more in military aid to Ukraine to boost Kyiv's ammunition stocks depleted during its ongoing high-intensity war with Russia.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this included high-precision HIMARS artillery rockets and howitzers "which Ukraine is using so effectively".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier stressed that artillery and shells were needed to "stop Russia".

The US is also sending tactical bridges ahead of Ukraine's expected offensive.

A number of Ukrainian military officials and experts have suggested the operation could be launched in the coming weeks.

This comes as Moscow maintains its months-long assault on Bakhmut, with Russian mercenaries claiming that they have "practically encircled" the city in the eastern Donetsk region.

In its latest news bulletin, Ukraine's military said Russian troops continued their efforts to encircle the city - but "numerous attacks were repelled" in the past 24 hours.

Separately, partial evacuation was on Thursday ordered in the north-eastern city of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, which was liberated from the Russian occupation last September.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Blinken said: "This military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS and howitzers, which Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself".

He added that Washington would also be sending "ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridges, demolitions munitions and equipment, and other maintenance, training and support".

HIMARS proved to be extremely effective during Ukraine's lighting counter-offensive late last year that saw almost the whole of the Kharkiv region brought back under Kyiv's control.

Those advances - and the liberation of the southern city of Kherson - were the most significant front-line changes since Russia withdrew from areas around Kyiv in April.

In his statement, America's top diplomat stressed that "the United States also continues to rally the world to support Ukraine" in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The new US military aid package was announced amid reports in US media that Ukraine may now be running dangerously low on artillery stocks after more than a year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Both Ukraine and Russia are believed to be firing tens of thousands of artillery shells every day in what is seen as a high-intensity war of attrition in recent months.

Ukraine's military have not publicly commented on the reported shortage of ammunition.

However, President Zelensky on Thursday said that "artillery is number one that we need".

He added that Kyiv also needed "a large quantity of shells" and war planes to "expel" Russian troops from Ukraine's territory.

Military assistance to Ukraine was expected to dominate the agenda as US President Joe Biden met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington later on Friday.

A number of Ukraine's Western allies have pledged to deliver tanks and artillery - but Kyiv says this must be done much faster to deter further Russian aggression.