Australian officials confirmed that Bushmasters protected mobility vehicles would be sent to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne, representing Defence Minister Peter Dutton in a Senate estimates hearing, indicated that Bushmasters would be sent to Ukraine.
Defense Minister Peter Dutton also said Friday that planning for the deliveries is under way, although Australian officials have not confirmed how many vehicles would be sent or when.
“We are doing work on just logistically how we would get the Bushmasters there in the numbers that they need,” he said. “Even on one of the huge planes you can probably only put three, maybe four. Normally, we would put them on a ship and they could sail, but I just do not think we have got those sort of timelines. So, we are very, very much open to the request.”
The Australian Government will provide further military support to Ukraine in response to Russia’s brutal, unrelenting and illegal invasion, at the request of the Ukrainian Government and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
To meet that request, in partnership with the Australian defence industry, we will provide an additional $25 million AUD of defensive military assistance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
This will bring Australia’s total military assistance so far to $116 million.
On top of this support is Australia’s $65 million of humanitarian assistance, 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to meet Ukraine’s energy needs, as well as temporary protection visas and support for Ukrainian community groups in Australia.
The new $25 million package of additional defensive military assistance will include tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.