Sweden sends infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine
STOCKHOLM, Jan 19 (Reuters) – The Swedish government announced on Thursday a new package of military aid to Ukraine that will include armored infantry fighting vehicles and said it had ordered its defense forces to prepare the transport of the Archer artillery system.
The package is worth SEK 4.3 billion ($419 million) and will also include NLAW anti-tank weapons.
“Military support to Ukraine is absolutely crucial,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference. “Ukraine’s wishes in terms of what they want weigh heavily in our decision.”
Sweden will send about 50 of its Type 90 tracked and armored infantry fighting vehicles. The government did not specify how many Archer systems it would deliver.
Prior to the package that was presented on Thursday, Sweden had announced around SEK 5 billion in military aid to Ukraine as well as several partial payments of humanitarian supplies.
Sweden currently holds the rotating EU presidency and has applied to join the NATO alliance alongside Finland, a move that abandons decades of non-alignment following the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation”.
Sweden has 48 Archer systems, which are a vehicle-mounted self-propelled howitzer made by Bofors BAE that Ukraine has long expressed interest in expanding its arsenal as it seeks to push back against Russian forces.
($1 = 10.2725 Swedish kronor)
Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Niklas Pollard
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