Ukraine has secured an agreement with its allies to acquire 200 evacuation vehicles, Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova said on July 27.
The Strategic Industries Ministry is also actively working to ensure Ukraine can produce such equipment domestically, Kalmykova said during the first annual International Congress on Military Medicine and Mental Health.
The official noted that casualty evacuation and medical evacuation are separate stages, each requiring different vehicles and equipment. Volunteer organizations cover some of these needs in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense.
"But at the same time (...) we are already receiving M113 armored vehicles. We have an agreement for 200 units. Some have already arrived and are being distributed to military units where the need for evacuation is greatest," Kalmykova said.
The Strategic Industries Ministry is working to ensure that Ukraine can produce these vehicles domestically, Kalmykova added. These vehicles have specific requirements for cross-country ability, protection, and mobility.
"I hope that with the support of international partners, we can make significant progress on this issue. Equipment is lost and destroyed in war, which is normal. Unfortunately, we can't claim that the current number of evacuation vehicles will be sufficient indefinitely," Kalmykova was quoted as saying.
The United States, Spain, and Lithuania are supplying M113 vehicles for demining and other operational needs.
Dominic Culverwell
