Ukrainian industry ready to supply military with armored vehicles

BTR-4 Armored Personnel Carrier

April 3, 2014 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

Ukrainian industry has stepped up to the plate in the country's dispute with Russia, saying it can soon supply armored personnel carriers to the National Guard.

Ukraine’s state-owned enterprise, Ukroboronprom, says it's ready to supply 74 armored personnel carriers to the military “in the nearest future.”

The APCs would equip 10 military units of the National Guard of Ukraine. In total 100 vehicles are to be supplied, Ukroboronprom’s temporary Acting Director Yuriy Tereshenko said.

Ukraine, once part of the now-defunct Soviet Union, is in a territorial and political crisis with Russia, which has annexed the Crimea region of the country.

The takeover, which has not been recognized by the United Nations, and the reported deployment of thousands of Russian troops to the region, has fueled fear that the remainder of Ukraine could face Russian-inspired political unrest or worse.

“These vehicles will significantly enhance combat capabilities of the units of the National Guard of Ukraine,” Tereshenko said. He said Ukroboronprom will do its best for the qualitative increase of national defense capability and fight readiness of the armed forces and other state military organizations.

According to Tereshenko, the government’s Kharkiv Morozov Machne-Building Design Bureau can supply 58 BTR-4 APCs. Ukroboronprom can transfer to the National Guard 16 other APCs of different types. Manufacturing plants of other organizations would also contribute the number of armored personnel carriers.