Ukrainian forces had to wait months for basic military aid from the United States, according to the Daily Beast.
The Ukrainian military asked for assistance from the United States and NATO in providing basic necessities such as combat boots, body armor, and spare tires in early March. It was months before any of those requests were made, forcing Ukrainian troops to fundraise online and rely on local communities’ support for supplies.
The Daily Beast reports:
Ukraine’s military lacks the logistical equipment, functioning vehicles and trained soldiers to support expeditions for long periods of time away from their military bases. As a result, Ukraine’s military has taken to raising funds online and relying on locals to provide everything from spare parts to hot meals.
Vice President Joe Biden on April 22 said the United States would be sending Kiev communications equipment, bomb detection gear, and other technology to root out infiltrators. But he made no mention of the more rudimentary requests Ukraine's military leaders had asked for since early March. Standing beside Ukraine's prime minister, Biden said, "We will stand with you. It’s been inspiring to watch you and your fellow countrymen." [...]
"What they considered the most important part of the request was the body armor, night vision devices and secure digital radios," said Philip Karber, a former strategy adviser to former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. "They are going up against highly trained Russian Spetznas forces and snipers who are equipped with those items. If you ask anyone who has served in combat they will tell you the Ukrainian forces will be half as effective as the far better equipped Russians."