U.S. to send Ukraine $5.5 billion in new fiscal, military aid

National flags of Ukraine and the U.S. fly at a compound of a police training base outside Kiev, Ukraine, May 6, 2016. Picture taken May 6, 2016. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

(Reuters) -The United States will send an additional $5.5 billion in aid to Ukraine, made up of $4.5 billion in budgetary support and $1 billion in military assistance, to help it come to grips with the turmoil of this year's Russian invasion.

The $4.5 billion budgetary grant will fund urgent government needs including payments for pensions, social welfare and healthcare costs, bringing total U.S. fiscal aid for Ukraine to $8.5 billion since Russia's February invasion, the U.S. Agency for International Development said.