KIEV, March 10. /TASS/. The first 20 British-made Saxon armored vehicles have been delivered to the Ukrainian army units, presidential advisor Yury Biryukov wrote on Facebook.
"The first consignment of 20 vehicles… has been distributed and delivered to the armed forces", Biryukov wrote about the British Saxon armoured cars that arrived in Ukraine about three weeks ago.
- Arms supplies to Kiev not in line with Arms Trade Treaty — Russian diplomat
- UK provides Ukraine with non-lethal equipment worth $1.3 million
- Issue of US non-lethal weapons supplies to Kiev settled — Ukrainian lawmaker
- Russian diplomat says US airborne troops being redeployed to Ukraine
- UK to send no troops to Ukraine — defense secretary
- Ukraine: Arms dealing in a truly presidential style
The receipt of 20 Saxons was confirmed by Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov on February 13.
According to Turchynov, another 55 such vehicles are expected soon. All of them will be reequipped for the needs of the Ukrainian military. "The vehicles arrived unarmed, they will be equipped with a live unit to provide effective fire cover for the National Guard and other forces", he said.
It was planned that after proving-ground trials the vehicles would enter service in Kiev’s units fighting in eastern Ukraine. In the British army, they are used for offering protective mobility to personnel and evacuating the wounded.
In mid-February Britain confirmed the delivery of the Saxon armored cars to Ukraine by a private firm, noting that the armored cars were transferred under a 2013 deal that preceded the current conflict.
Officials in London stressed that those were out-of-service unarmed vehicles unsuitable for close combat.