The United States of America is introducing military hardware into Ukraine through a secret airfield near the Ukrainian border that has become an arms distribution center, according to cnnportugal, which cites a senior US Defense Department official.
That same site had already been visited by U.S. Chief of Staff General Mark Milley last week, where he was overseeing firsthand the multinational effort to get weapons to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The site has recorded unusual daily activity in recent days, from half a dozen flights a day to about 17, the maximum capacity of the airfield.
The location of the airport remains secret to protect the shipment of weapons to Ukraine, including anti-tank missiles.
The official assured that these shipments of lethal materials have not yet been targeted by Russian attacks, but there is some concern that Russia will begin to attack the deliveries as the invasion progresses.
Even before the Russian invasion began last month, the skies above Europe had been filled with aircraft carrying US and other military cargo, particularly C-17s, which are the mainstay of the US air fleet. The flights have been repositioning troops along NATO's eastern flank, but have also been moving weapons to transfer points where they can be delivered to Ukraine. The frequency of the flights has been increasing.
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is at the center of the massive deployment operation, using its network of liaisons with allies and partners to coordinate "real-time" shipment of materials to Ukraine, a second Defense Department official said.
EUCOM is also coordinating with other countries, including the UK, regarding the delivery process "to ensure that we are using resources at maximum efficiency to support the Ukrainians in an organized way," the official added.