Greece has begun the transfer of BMP-1 armored infantry vehicles to Ukraine. This was announced on October 19 by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at a joint press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
“It is very important that the long-awaited shipment from Greece of BMP-1 armored infantry vehicles for Ukraine has already begun. Soon they will arrive in our army and instantly increase the combat capability and defense capability of our country,” Kuleba said.
On September 16, the Greek Ministry of National Defense announced that they would send 40 BMP-1s to Ukraine. In return, Greece will receive the same number of German armored vehicles.
Earlier, on September 15, German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht said that Germany would supply Ukraine with two MARS II multiple launch rocket systems and train the Ukrainian military to use them. In addition, according to her, Germany will provide the Ukrainian side with 50 Dingo armored vehicles, as well as help in the exchange of old military equipment for a new one and will facilitate the supply of BMP-1 from Greece.
In June, Yuri Pilipson, director of the fourth European department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Moscow had information about Greece’s intention to carry out new arms supplies to Kyiv. He stressed that the Greek authorities were among the first to send weapons to Ukraine, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) use daily against civilians in Donbass. According to him, Athens has set a course for the destruction of long-term bilateral relations with the Russian Federation in trade, economic, investment, energy and other areas.
On June 5, the Greek news portal pronews.gr reported that the Greek government has transferred or is about to transfer to Ukraine “an incredible amount” of weapons and ammunition. According to the publication’s information, the military assistance package will include 122 BMP-1 armored infantry vehicles with all the ammunition for machine guns; 15 thousand shells 73 mm; 2.1 thousand 122 mm rockets and other weapons.
On May 31, it became known that the Greek authorities intend to send their obsolete Soviet-style armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, which the Greek army itself does not need, and in exchange for them to receive new vehicles from Germany. We are talking about the transfer of armored infantry vehicles to Ukraine, which the country received in 1992. Their age is 40-50 years.
On February 24, Russia launched a special operation to protect Donbass. Moscow explained that the tasks of the special operation include the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, the implementation of which is necessary to ensure the security of Russia. The decision was made against the backdrop of aggravation in the region as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian military.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
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