Ukrainians on the frontline appeal for more Bushmasters

Ukraine forces on the frontline say the Aussie armoured vehicle has saved their lives. In an extraordinary video a Ukrainian Bushmaster crew open up about their close encounters.

Ukrainian forces on the 1000km-long frontline have appealed to Australia to urgently send more Bushmasters, with crews directly crediting their survival to the Aussie armoured vehicle.

Ukraine’s much-vaunted counteroffensive is seeing gains notably in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions with fierce fighting leaving heavy losses on both sides.

One Ukrainian Bushmaster crew has credited their continued survival, even against the banned white phosphorus incendiaries Russia has been lobbing, on their Australian-made “Bushy” vehicle.

In an extraordinary video shot on the frontline a crew have spoken about their encounters and survival against mines, direct fire and armed drones as they emotionally appeal for more.

It’s become a combat talisman for many.

A Ukrainian Bushmaster crew talk about the Australian vehicle being a talisman on the counteroffensive frontline against Russian invaders.

It comes as the last of the 90 Bushmasters the Federal Government pledged was dispatched to Ukraine this week for the counter offensive push.

They have been working virtually around the clock relaying ammunition, stocks and troops to the frontline and wounded troops back from the battlefield.

Commanders determine they need at least 15 more of the vehicles per battalion to sustain the fight; at least eight have already been destroyed by Russian rockets during intense fighting with one put partly destroyed but put on display in a park outside Moscow as a trophy.

The Bushmaster crew talk openly about their hopes if they can survive.

Ukrainian forces on the 1000km-long frontline have appealed to Australia to urgently send more Bushmasters.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has confirmed all Ukraine’s requests were being considered.

Ukraine ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said his nation was extremely grateful for Australia’s military aid but with the counteroffensive to drive out the enemy, more Bushmasters and the Hawkei reconnaissance vehicles were needed.

“Australia’s assistance has been critical, it has really helped Ukraine and now we see how well the Bushmasters have performed now in this counter offensive transporting personnel to the front lines and evacuating the wounded, they really have been saving lives,” Mr Myroshnychenko said.

Ukrainian Ministry of Defence personnel Gennadiy Kurochka with Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko and Dr Yuriy Sak, at Parliament House in Canberra after talks for more military aid. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“It is a fight for freedom and a fight for democracy and this (Bushmaster) has really been helping drive Russian out … given how well they have performed some have been destroyed, it’s war, and we have made a request for more Bushmasters as well as the M113’s (tracked armoured vehicles) of which Australia provided 28 and they also have been used well.

“It’s not about the numbers, it’s no point saying how many we are asking what’s important is Australia continues the support, sends more Bushmasters and we have made a request also for Hawkei’s which could be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare and if integrated with air defence systems will be useful.”

An Australian-built Bushmaster armoured vehicle driving through destroyed buildings on October 08, 2022 in Lozove, Ukraine. Picture: Getty Images

Speaking outside parliament, Mr Marles said: “We’re in a conversation with the government of Ukraine. They’re completely aware of what, well firstly what they’re asking for obviously, and what is able to be done from our end. But we will be standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Ukraine-Australian journalist and film maker Julian Knysh in Ukraine for the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations.

In the moving video Australian-Ukrainian journalist Julian Knysh said the reverence in which the Aussie combat trucks are held by the troops was astounding.

One Bushmaster crew member said it gave troops hope.

“We were standing in the forest and phosphorous munitions were falling from the sky, it’s a flammable substance that is prohibited by the Geneva conventions but the Russians use it anyway. The whole forest was on fire, tanks were firing at us and the Bushmaster got beat up but it survived completely and all our munitions everything that was inside survived completely not even the wheels were punctured. God saved us that way.”