WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Andrew Feinberg — When asked on Thursday what kind of weapons the United States should send to arm Ukrainian government forces, McCain named Javelin anti-tank missiles and counter-battery radar and armor.
"Javelin, among other things, counter-battery radar and armor," McCain told Sputnik
The Javelin antitank missile is the world’s first mass-produced infrared-homing "fire and forget" missile system capable of destroying tanks by hitting them head-on or by swooping down on them from above.
The downside of this system is its impressive price tag with the export version costing $125,000 and a single missile selling for $40,000. The Javelin uses an automatic, infrared guidance system that allows the user to seek cover immediately after launch, as opposed to older, wire-guided systems.
Russian officials have repeatedly warned that Washington providing Ukraine with weapons will only escalate violence and lead to more bloodshed.
The situation in southeastern Ukraine, namely in the industrial towns of Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, became aggravated this weekend when both towns were bombarded with shells, which resulted in heavy losses on both sides. The Ukrainian forces and Donbas militia are trading accusations for the escalation of fighting.
