Media: Germany prepares winter assistance package for Ukraine

Germany has pledged to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine and is already planning a winter military assistance package to help the country repel Russian drone and missile attacks, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a speech in the Bundestag, according to Tagesschau. The package would include "everything needed for air defense," Scholz added. Earlier, the German government announced it would allocate a €76 million ($80 million) grant for Ukraine’s national power grid operator Ukrenergo to finance the protection of substations, new high-voltage equipment, and network upgrades along the border with Europe. The grant agreement was signed on 13 October, Ukrenergo announced.

Germany grants EUR 76 million to protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

According to Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the funds will strengthen defenses at energy infrastructure sites, finance restoration and modernization projects, and support new transmission line construction. In addition, on 5 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Germany was working on supplying Ukraine with an extra Patriot air defense system to help protect the country through the winter months. Read also:

• Germany to transfer additional Patriot system to Ukraine
• Spain to send six Hawk air defense systems to Ukraine
• Zelenskyy meets with Armenian Prime Minister for the first time
• Russian attack on grocery kills 51 in Kharkiv Oblast (updated)
• Zelenskyy: Ukraine slowly pushing Russia out, but weapon shortage poses difficulties