When Ukraine’s defence ministry published video this week of an amphibious armoured personnel carrier “provided by Russia”, it was being towed by an Australian-supplied Bushmaster.
“This technology is in safe hands,” the ministry added.
Lend lease x 2: A Ukrainian Bushmaster made in Australia is pulling a BTR provided by russia. This technology is in safe hands. pic.twitter.com/9uGTNHDtMb
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 2, 2022
It is one of 60 Bushmaster-protected mobility vehicles that Australia has either supplied or promised to help Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion.
The Australian government is reluctant to divulge exact delivery dates, citing operational security reasons, but says it is considering expanding the assistance to Ukraine amid growing expectations that it will be a protracted war.
Ukraine has made no secret of its wish for partners including Australia to provide further aid, including ammunition, and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is due to give his own assessment when he addresses the Lowy Institute by video link on Thursday night.
This is what Australia has committed so far and how it compares with other nations.
Australia’s $388m in military assistance to Ukraine
- 60 x Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles
- 6 x M777 155mm lightweight towed howitzers plus ammunition
- 28 x M113AS4 armoured vehicles
- Anti-armour weapons and other weapons
- Soldier personal combat equipment
- Equipment (including unmanned aerial systems) sourced from Australian industry
- De-mining equipment to help remove explosive ordnance littering the battlefield
Australia has gradually ramped up its assistance since February, first under the Morrison government and now under the Albanese government, with bipartisan support for the view that helping Ukraine respond to the “illegal, immoral” invasion is important for broader preservation of international stability – including in the Indo-Pacific, where China has not ruled out taking Taiwan by force.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy has compiled data on military, financial and humanitarian aid promised by governments to Ukraine.
The military section of the analysis shows that between 24 January and 3 August 2022 the US was by far the biggest provider of weapons, equipment and financial aid with a military purpose. The next-biggest provider, in euro terms, was fellow Nato member the UK, followed by Poland, Germany and Canada. Australia was ranked ninth out of 30 donor countries, sitting between the Baltic states Latvia and Estonia.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and some of his ministers have been fond of saying that Australia is “the largest non-Nato contributor” to the defence of Ukraine, but that language has shifted in recent weeks. Now the favoured term is “one of the largest”.
Officials told Guardian Australia the statement about Australia being “the largest non-Nato contributor” to Ukraine was used in the early phase of the invasion and based on public reporting by the Kiel Institute of military support to Ukraine. But they said it was becoming “increasingly difficult to verify, measure, monitor and compare nations’ contributions”.
The picture is a little different when all forms of assistance (not just military aid) are also taken into account and the size of the economies are also considered.
The Kiel Institute’s tracker shows that Estonia and Latvia are the countries that have committed the largest assistance as a share of their own gross domestic product (0.9%), whereas the US is 10th in this analysis (0.2%) and Australia 32nd (0.02%). This data took into account 40 donor countries.
Beyond the war, the Ukrainian government is also seeking help from countries including Australia to start the rebuilding process.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, submitted a proposal to the Australian government last month to “adopt” a region of Ukraine as the target of its reconstruction assistance, Crikey reported on Wednesday.
When asked about the prospects of Australia joining the “adopt a region” scheme, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said discussions were continuing.
“The Australian government continues to engage with our Ukrainian counterparts and acknowledges the significant challenges associated with rebuilding Ukraine,” the department’s spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“Australia will continue working with partners to support Ukraine and consider all formal requests for further assistance.”
