Foreign countries|Zelenskyi in Sweden
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi also said on Saturday that Ukrainian pilots are already participating in the “testing” of Swedish Gripen fighters.
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed an agreement on Saturday, with which the countries begin to increase cooperation in the production of military equipment and training of soldiers.
Kristersson announced the agreement at the managers’ joint press conference on Saturday. Zelenskyi is currently visiting Sweden for the first time.
According to Zelensky, in the long term, such cooperation agreements are Ukraine’s only way to keep Russian troops out of the country.
As part of contract Ukraine starts manufacturing CV90 assault tanks developed in Sweden.
“This is incredibly important to us. We will do everything to have the first CV90 ready as soon as possible,” Zelenskyi told a press conference.
Ukraine received the first CV90s already earlier in the counterattack in June in the beginning. Sweden has promised to deliver a total of 50 CV90 wagons to the Ukrainian army.
Sweden has also trained Ukrainian troops to use wagons.
American magazine Forbes by The crew of the CV90 consists of three soldiers. It can also accommodate six infantrymen.
The assault tank is equipped with a 40 mm cannon, which Forbes calls powerful.
Reservist by assault tanks are infantry combat support vehicles capable of transporting soldiers with the attack to the front line and protecting them from rifle bullets and shrapnel from artillery fire.
In addition to Sweden, various versions of the CV90 are used by the military forces of Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland and Estonia, among others.
Zelenskyi and Kristersson also discussed the delivery of Jas Gripen fighters manufactured by Swedish Saab for use by Ukraine. Zelenskyi said that he intends to bring up the fighter jets in his discussions with other Swedish officials.
According to Zelenskyi Ukrainian pilots are already participating in the “testing” of fighters.
Swedish Minister of Defense Paul Jonson told the Swedish public radio SVT by in May that Sweden has no extra Gripen fighters to send to Ukraine.
Johnson told earlier this week that Sweden is planning a new military aid package for Ukraine worth about 285 million euros. The planned package includes ammunition and accessories for the armament of CV90 tanks.
So far, Sweden has supported Ukraine militarily with a total of around 1.4 billion euros.
In addition to CV90 tanks, the military support has included, among other things, other tanks and anti-aircraft systems.
Kristersson told the press conference that he was particularly impressed by the determination of the Ukrainians.
“It is this determination that will ultimately end Russia’s aggression,” Kristersson said.
At the press conference, Kristersson also condemned what Russia did on Saturday missile strike to the city of Chernihiv in Ukraine. The attack killed at least seven people and injured more than a hundred.
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