The platform adds to more than 20 other MRAP systems commissioned under Kyiv’s military since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

The milestone follows Ottawa’s military aid to Kyiv in January 2023 worth 90 million Canadian dollars ($66.3 million) in response to the aggression, which included Senators in their basic armored personnel carrier configuration.

All 200 vehicles under the donation were delivered in April 2023, with most distributed to the Ukrainian State Border Service units stationed in the northern city of Chernihiv.

One month later, the Senator’s Ontario-based developer Roshel unveiled the platform’s new MRAP variant. The company finalized the delivery of the 1,000th Senator to Ukraine by year’s end.

The Senator MRAP

Roshel’s Senator MRAP has a length of 6 meters (20 feet), a seating capacity for up to 10 personnel, and payload support for about 2 tons of cargo.

The 4×4 vehicle is equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a 330-horsepower V8 6.7-liter diesel engine.

Its chassis, based on the Ford F-550 pickup truck, is covered with NATO-standard armor that can withstand blasts from 7.62×39-caliber rifles, multi-direction mines, charged TNTs, and 155-millimeter artillery.

Additionally, the system was designed with a V-shaped body to redirect shock waves and shrapnel to the sides, increasing soldiers’ survivability during attacks.

In September 2024, Roshel revealed the integration of the Tavria 14.5 Remote Controlled Weapon System into the Senator.

The post Ukrainian Military Adopts Canadian Senator Anti-Mine Vehicles appeared first on The Defense Post.

Moscow appears to be mounting a counter-offensive in the region, claiming to have retaken at least a dozen villages from Ukraine’s control since last week.

Authorities have decided to order the “obligatory evacuation of settlements in the Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts that are within a 15-kilometer (9-mile) zone adjacent to the border with Ukraine,” Governor Alexei Smirnov said on Telegram.

He did not say which villages would be evacuated or the number of evacuees. There are dozens of villages and towns within this 15-kilometer radius.

More than 150,000 people in the region have had to flee their homes since Kyiv’s offensive began on August 6, state media reported Smirnov as saying last week.

Ukraine says its forces have advanced across tens of kilometers of Russian territory and seized dozens of settlements, including the border town of Sudzha.

Ukraine’s incursion – which began more than two years after Russia launched a full-scale military assault on its neighbor – caught Moscow off-guard.

It is the biggest incursion by a foreign army on Russian territory since World War II.

The post Russia Evacuates Border Villages in Kursk Region appeared first on The Defense Post.

Screened by the government’s defense innovations arm Brave1, the robotic systems will serve as platforms to move military equipment and injured personnel from the battlefield and into safe areas.

A FoxTac is controlled by a remote device that supports up to 700 meters (2,297 feet) of connectivity.

The four-wheel vehicle drives with minimal sound and measures approximately 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) high, enabling inconspicuous operation across fields with vegetation, off-road, and other complex terrain.

Ukraine’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov noted in a Telegram update last February that the FoxTac’s power reserve can cover up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

“There are no universal means and methods of evacuation,” Ukraine’s defense agency said in a recent press release.

“Each time, combat medics choose the transport and method of evacuation depending on the current circumstances: the nature of the combat situation, the terrain, the level of camouflage, the number of wounded and the severity of injuries received by servicemen.”

“Thanks to the applied design solutions, “FOXTAC” can be transferred from transport to working position in a matter of minutes. It can carry cargo weighing up to one and a half hundredweight, that is, a wounded soldier in full combat gear, [and] ammunition to the position.”

Transporter Drones for Modern Warfare

In May, the Ukrainian Strategic Industries Ministry completed an evaluation of the FoxTac on safe medical evacuations.

When deployed, the system and additional stretchers manufactured by other developers carried many patients and accomplished long transport timelines as expected with the given scenarios.

Ukrainian Armed Forces Medical Service Lt. Col. Ihor Shcherbakov explained the importance of robotic assets for the safety and readiness of warfighters during the event.

“For the Medical Forces Command, as for any commander, saving the lives of our servicemen is a key priority,” Shcherbakov remarked.

“The realities of modern warfare require us to develop new progressive, technological solutions for medical evacuation. The enemy is using modern deadly weapons against us. The front line is heterogeneous. There are areas with lots of sand, water and forest. Sometimes the defence is carried out in difficult urban conditions.”

“That is why the methods of medical evacuation of the wounded used in previous wars (World War II, Soviet-Afghan War, Chechen Wars) are not effective enough in our realities. Today, robotic systems are the solution that can save the life of a wounded person, reduce evacuation time and maintain the combat capability of a unit under any conditions.”

The post Ukraine OKs Robotic Stretchers for Military Distribution appeared first on The Defense Post.

During the so-called “Test Week,” Ukrainian volunteers undergo seven days of intense military training with mock weapons on an improvised battlefield.

They also engage in simulated battlefield conditions, including continuous explosions represented by firecrackers that go off every few minutes.

While under a simulated attack, civilians learn how to move and regroup effectively, as well as evacuate casualties.

They are also taught how to properly use their weapons and battlefield medicine.

“We give them assessment according to physical training, knowledge of theory, medicine [and drones]. Also, we evaluate their leadership abilities, teamwork, and analytical mindset,” instructor Maksym Levchenko said.

Program Success

Some of the participants in the Test Week are 18 to 24 years old, preparing for mandatory conscription at the age of 25.

Twenty-year-old Oleksii Sichkar said he joined the program over fear that the invading forces might reach his hometown and Kyiv may not have enough soldiers to defend it.

“We’re not sure that hostilities won’t come to our area,” he said.

So far, over 400 people have reportedly participated in the initiative, with one in five choosing to enlist in the military afterward.

Sichkar is one of those who decided to enlist, and he chose to become a part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade.

“I’m doing this for my family, to protect my mother and sister. I love them more than anything in the world,” he expressed.

Low Morale

The initiative to train civilians comes amid reports of declining troop morale and high desertion rates in Ukraine.

Russian state media claims that more than 37,000 Ukrainian soldiers have abandoned their posts as the war stretches beyond two years.

Though the number is unverified, battalion commander “Dima” told CNN that many soldiers are indeed demoralized, causing them to leave the army.

“Not all mobilized soldiers are leaving their positions, but the majority are. When new guys come here, they see how difficult it is… They go to the positions once and if they survive, they never return,” he said.

The post Ukraine Trains Civilians to Fight War as Soldiers Struggle With Low Morale appeared first on The Defense Post.

The center incorporates six steel bunkers each measuring 7.6 meters (24.9 feet) long with a diameter of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet).

Similar to civilian hospitals, the facility is equipped with oxygen concentrators, cardiac monitors, defibrillators, ventilators, surgical equipment, sterilizers, patent warming systems, and medical lighting solutions worth 7 million Ukrainian hryvnias ($170,251).

Additional utilities include water supply, ventilation, drainage, electronic warfare capabilities, and alternative power sources.

Tasks inside the center will be coordinated with the Ukrainian military’s East Medical Forces.

‘Critically Important’ Facilities

Kyiv’s steel hospital meets the requirements of a second-echelon field hospital or Role/Echelon 2 in accordance with NATO standards.

This function enables the site to provide intensive care, treatment, and post-care support for patients until discharge or transport to another medical facility.

Upon activation, the bunkers will consist of two full operating units, two resuscitation units, a working and a patient resting module.

East Medical Forces Commander Roman Kuzev noted that the center will be able to address over 100 patients.

“Such underground checkpoints are critically important for saving the lives of our soldiers. In the conditions of intense hostilities, we have to provide maximum protection and quick medical assistance to our heroes,” Kuzev explained.

“This is the first step in the framework of a large-scale project that will strengthen our medical infrastructure and allow even more effective support of defenders on the front lines.”

Response to Moscow’s Aggression

The Ukrainian government partnered with local conglomerate Metinvest to develop the 20-million hryvnia ($486,431) infrastructure.

To date, the company has spent more than 7.5 billion hryvnias ($182.4 million) to support the nation’s recovery since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Approximately 4 billion hryvnias ($97.2 million) of this investment was allocated for defense assets.

“A medical hospital located many metres underground is the most ambitious and challenging project we have had to implement since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” Metinvest Group Chief Operating Officer Oleksandr Myronenko stated.

“Every minute counts in saving the lives of Ukrainian defenders. We have made every effort not to waste this precious time and to ensure that our doctors have everything they need to provide timely and effective aid.”

The post Ukraine Opens First Bunker Hospital for Frontline Troops appeared first on The Defense Post.

The “Typhoon” unit will be responsible for all National Guard operations that involve the use of various types of drones.

It can be quickly called in to reinforce combat missions with the help of the latest unmanned systems in the force.

Additionally, the unit can facilitate training to help fellow soldiers become familiar with drone operations.

According to commander Mykhailo Kmytyuk, one of the advantages of serving in the Typhoon unit is the opportunity to be provided with constant training to become a skillful pilot of different kinds of drones.

An aspiring member can also automatically enter military service through the unit by answering an application-questionnaire and completing a four-week basic combat training course.

“The more motivated people there are, the faster our victory will come,” deputy commander Pavlo Gvozdenko added.

Prioritizing Unmanned Systems

The creation of a specialized drone unit comes as Kyiv continues to give immense importance to the role of unmanned systems in the ongoing war.

Earlier this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the establishment of a separate military branch dedicated solely to drone warfare.

The branch focuses on improving the country’s work with drones, including increasing production, systemizing their use, and ramping up soldier training.

Unmanned systems chief Lt. Col. Maksym Sklyar said the national guard’s move to create a distinct drone team demonstrates that it is now “developing in the direction of unmanned systems” like all other components of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The National Guard pledges to equip its new Typhoon unit with essential tools to perform its tasks effectively.

The post Ukraine National Guard Forms Drone Unit to Support Combat Brigades appeared first on The Defense Post.

This comes after a “deep modernization” effort of the Soviet-made BTR-60s in April.

The Bulgarian government donated part of the fleet in February. The following month, Sofia confirmed the delivery of about 100 BTR-60s to Kyiv.

Under the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the revamped BTR-60s have been designated “Khorunzhy.”

The Khorunzhy Vehicle

Ukraine’s defense agency noted that the armored vehicle has improved features compared to its base system through the integration of a single 330-horsepower diesel engine in front of the hull instead of a twin gasoline engine.

A larger fuel tank and engine supports a range of more than half a thousand kilometers (over 310 miles) and a speed exceeding 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour.

The carrier’s chassis is made of lightweight Finnish steel with enhanced ballistic protection against 7.62-millimeter weapons. The platform’s frontal armor incorporates an additional steel core to withstand large-caliber machine guns firing 10 meters (33 feet) away.

Khorunzhy’s landing capability was also upgraded through the reconfiguration of ergonomic features in the rear, enabling convenient troop deployment on the battlefield.

The vehicle is fitted with new surveillance cameras, modern electronics, an air conditioning system, and autonomous generators, allowing the platform to function in case the engine receives damage.

Similar to its predecessor, the Khorunzhy can carry a 14.5-millimeter machine gun, which complements a newly-equipped 30×113-millimeter cannon.

The modified BTR-60 is available in standard personnel carrier, linear armored personnel transport, medical evacuation, command-staff, repair support, and self-propelled mortar variants.

Soviet Union’s BTR-60

The original BTR-60 was produced from 1960 to 1976 under the Soviet Union’s Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod and from the 1970s to early 1990s by Romania’s state-owned defense company Regia Autonomă Pentru Producția De Tehnică Militară.

Approximately 25,000 BTR-60s have been operational since its debut, with multiple nations in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East as users.

The vehicle measures 7.56 meters (24.8 feet) long, weighs 10.3 tons, and has the capacity for up to 15 personnel.

The post Ukraine Greenlights Supply of Soviet Khorunzhy Armored Vehicles to Military appeared first on The Defense Post.

Revealed by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, the package includes technical maintenance, associated equipment, and training services.

Ukraine’s upcoming fleet was used by the Netherlands Marine Corps for personnel and medical transport across austere environments.

Amsterdam noted that the platforms can also be deployed as command vehicles or mobile fire support.

“With a front and rear carriage and coupled steering mechanism, the Viking effortlessly lands on the beach from a landing craft,” the Dutch Ministry of Defence wrote in a press release.

“The vehicle is armored, which provides additional protection against enemy fire. The Viking can operate in the most diverse weather conditions.”

Following the donation to Ukraine, the Dutch Marine Corps’ Viking systems will be replaced by the incoming 124 tracked vehicles planned in 2020 as well as 179 small all-terrain patrol vehicles announced in 2021.

Distribution of the approximately 250-million-euro ($276.4-million) tracked fleet is scheduled from 2024 to 2027, while the patrol systems are expected to arrive next year until 2028.

Oekraïne heeft onze hulp hard nodig in het gevecht tegen de Russische agressor.

Nederland levert nu 28 Viking rupsvoertuigen. Het Korps Mariniers heeft hiervoor de Oekraïense militairen getraind.

Onze steun aan Oekraïne blijft doorgaan om Rusland op afstand te houden. pic.twitter.com/58jz5pvWAF

— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) August 31, 2024

All-Terrain System

The Viking or BvS10 vehicle was first introduced by Swedish defense contractor BAE Systems Hägglunds in the early 2000s for the British Royal Marines, with its maiden deployment being in Afghanistan in 2006.

It was offered in different variants, including the unarmored Beowulf, and has undergone multiple upgrades since its launch.

Alongside Sweden, the UK, and the Netherlands, the all-terrain system has served under the Austrian, French, German, and US armed forces.

The Viking

BAE’s Viking measures 8 meters (26.2 feet) long and weighs about 5 tons.

It incorporates a front and rear car that can accommodate up to 12 passengers in total, while its chassis is covered with NATO standard armor against small arms fire and artillery.

The vehicle is equipped with a Cummins six-cylinder diesel engine and an Allison six-speed automatic transmission for a top speed of 70 kilometers (43.4 miles) per hour and a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles).

It can carry 5.56 to 12.7-millimeter machine guns, a 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher, mortars, and smoke grenades.

The post Ukraine to Receive Viking Amphibious Vehicles From the Netherlands appeared first on The Defense Post.

The announcement marks the first reported destruction of an F-16 in Ukraine, just weeks after Kyiv began taking delivery of the supersonic aircraft.

“F-16 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were used to repel a missile attack on the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, along with units of anti-aircraft missile troops,” the Ukrainian army said.

“During the approach to the next target, communication with one of the planes was lost. As it turned out later, the aircraft crashed, killing the pilot,” it added.

Official Statement: F-16s in Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/llTh7QQoy5

— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) August 4, 2024

It did not identify the pilot, but a unit of Ukraine’s air force said one of its pilots, Oleksiy Mes, had died in a crash on Monday while repelling a Russian air attack.

“On 26 August, while repelling a Russian massive combined missile and air strike, Oleksiy destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone,” Ukraine’s Western air command unit said.

“Oleksiy saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles. Unfortunately, at the cost of his own life,” it said.

The announcements come as a blow to Ukraine, which had long relied on a fleet of aging Soviet-era MIG-29 and Sukhoi jets and had asked for the F-16s to defend against intense Russian aerial bombardment.

Moscow fired a wave of attack drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday this week in what President Volodymyr Zelensky called one of the “largest” attacks of Russia’s two-and-a-half year invasion.

The post Ukraine Says US-Made F-16 Fighter Jet Crashed, Killing Pilot appeared first on The Defense Post.

It accepts applicants from 18 to 60 years old and provides options for a preferred military branch and unit based on the individual’s civilian experience.

The center operates during work hours on weekdays for submissions and related consultations on unit information and conditions of service.

Trainees will receive basic general military lessons and specialized courses upon selection, the army noted.

“We expect that every citizen will be able to find their place in the Ukrainian Armed Forces if they wish,” Chernivtsi Mayor Roman Klichuk explained. “Hence, we encourage city residents and visitors to get in touch with the Recruitment Center.”

Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration Head Ruslan Zaparaniuk added that the initiative “holds significant importance” for the armed forces, saying that the project “will enable each citizen to prove themselves in the defense of [Ukraine] based on their abilities.”

Over 10,000 Roles Available

The army said that the Heroiv Maidanu center is collaborating with military drone groups to choose future unmanned aerial system operators in addition to ground, air, special operations, and intelligence teams.

Currently, Kyiv is recruiting for more than 10,000 positions in various branches of the armed forces.

“We aim to guarantee that every recruit gets to the chosen unit for their position. In recent months, a noticeable increase in volunteer participation has been observed,” Ukrainian Defence Ministry Recruitment Officer Oleksiy Bezhevets stated.

“This serves as evidence that the initiative is on the right track and proves the feasibility of already 33 centers in Ukraine.”

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