The US will provide Kiev with 16 105-mm howitzers and 36,000 shells as part of a new military aid package, a senior Pentagon official said at a briefing.

The second component of our artillery package is 16 105-millimeter howitzers and 36,000 shells for them, he said.

Russia began a military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin called its goal to protect people who have been subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years. According to a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry, as of March 25, the Armed Forces had accomplished the main tasks of the first stage - significantly reduced Ukraine's combat potential. The Russian military said that the main goal was the liberation of Donbas.