Australia to boost military aid to Ukraine

The Australian government will supply Ukraine with a fresh military support package.

This package meets Ukraine’s ask for armoured vehicles and ammunition. Australia provides military assistance to help the Ukrainian military improve its battlefield capabilities.

Australia will send to Ukraine 70 military vehicles, including 28 M113 tracked armoured personnel carriers, 14 special operations vehicles, 28 MAN 40M medium trucks, and 14 trailers. In addition, 105mm artillery ammo will be delivered to Kyiv.

In addition, Canberra will provide the UN with $10 million to meet Ukraine’s humanitarian needs.

“This additional assistance will make a real difference, helping the Ukrainian people who continue to show great courage in the face of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and immoral war,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Australia will also extend duty-free access for goods imported from Ukraine for 12 months.

The amount of the new aid package from Australia is 110 million Australian dollars ($74 million).

These commitments announced today bring Australia’s total contribution in support of Ukraine to $790 million, including $610 million in military assistance.

Anthony Albanese emphasized during the communication with the media that Australia would support Ukraine as long as it was needed.

As previously reported, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, requested that Australia equip the Ukrainian Army with Hawkei armoured vehicles in May.

Mr Reznikov also urged Canberra to join the international tank coalition working to improve Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The Minister reminded that Australia had previously provided significant military assistance to Ukraine.