Ukraine calls for more Australian armour
Ukraine is urging the federal government to donate US-made Abrams tanks and new Hawkei protected vehicles to help the country crush Russian forces.
Ukraine is urging the federal government to donate US-made Abrams tanks and new Hawkei protected vehicles to help the country crush Russian forces, as Australia falls down the ranks of donors to the country’s war effort.
Ukrainian Defence Ministry adviser Yuriy Sak is in Canberra this week to convey the message to Defence and Foreign Affairs officials, declaring his country will win the war with cutting-edge Western weapons.
Dr Sak said even 14 of the Australian Defence Force’s 59 M1A1 Abrams tanks would make a big difference on the battlefield, and would encourage other countries to lift their support.
“We invite Australia to join the international tanks coalition,” he said. “Every tank will bring us closer to victory. But it’s also a symbolic gesture to other countries to join the tank coalition ... everybody understands that this is a war that we have to win.”
Dr Sak said the donation of Hawkei light armoured vehicles – which have been delivered to the ADF in the past two years – could also make a valuable contribution and would “be beautiful to juxtapose” against Russia’s mobilisation of World War-era T-34 tanks. The protected vehicles are fast and well-equipped with night vision and electronic warfare gear to bring down enemy drones.
“We understand that they are perfectly suited for our counter offensive because they have superior armour and great modern equipment,” Dr Sak said.
He also praised the Australian-supplied Bushmaster vehicles, and urged the government to consider establishing a repair facility in Poland to service them.
Australia has supplied 60 of a promised 90 Bushmasters, but Dr Sak said Ukraine still hoped for more.
Australia was previously the biggest non-NATO contributor of support for Ukraine, but has been overtaken by Japan and Sweden.
Dr Sak said: “We don’t want to look at this as a competition of generosity. We just want everybody to feel a part of our joint fight for global freedom. We want Australian children to know their country is fighting for freedom.”
Dr Sak said Ukraine had proved it could outmatch Russia on the battlefield but was waiting to amass sufficient weapons, vehicles and munitions before staging its long-awaited counter-offensive.
“We have shown time and again that we are capable of defeating Russia on the battlefield,” he said. “What we need is what our Minister of Defence calls ‘the attacking fist’ – Western weapons. That’s the magic word. That’s what makes it possible for us to advance.”
Dr Sak’s comments came as the first of Britain’s donated Challenger 2 tanks arrived in the war-torn country, with their newly trained Ukrainian crews.
“A year ago, no one would have thought that our partners’ support would be so strong,” Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said, praising the Challengers as works of “military art”.
Eighteen German Leopard 2 tanks have also arrived in the country, while the Biden administration has donated 51 of the US’s own M1A1 tanks.
Australia has provided Ukraine with more than $655m in support, including $475m in military assistance.
More Coverage
Labor ‘is naive on threat of evil axis’
One of the country’s leading defence analysts says the Albanese government has gravely underestimated the threat posed by the growing alliance of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Keating takes swipe at AUKUS ministers meeting
Former prime minister Paul Keating has slammed the AUKUS alliance partners for failing to respond to concerns about the future of Australian military sovereignty.