US defense contractors allowed to service equipment in Ukraine
The White House previously prohibited on-site repairs to avoid deploying American personnel in the conflict zone
The US administration has authorized American defense contractors to service and repair military equipment for Ukrainian forces directly in Ukraine, according to reports from Reuters and CNN citing informed sources.
Contractors are now permitted to maintain and repair US-provided weapons, including F-16 fighter jets and Patriot air defense systems, on-site in Ukraine.
"These contractors will be located far from the front lines and they will not be fighting Russian forces. They will help Ukrainian Armed Forces rapidly repair and maintain US provided equipment as needed so it can be quickly returned to the front lines," a defense official said.
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The US administration previously banned American contractors from repairing military equipment in Ukraine to avoid deploying personnel to the conflict zone. Damaged equipment had to be sent to neighboring NATO countries for repairs, causing delays. The possibility of lifting this ban to accelerate servicing is under review, but no final decision has been made yet.