Ukraine's Eurovision stars Tvorchi have called on Australia for more help to fortify the country's "heart of steel", renewing calls for Australian-made Hawkei fighting vehicles.
In a slick new social-media campaign from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the two artists used their profile to make a personal plea to Australia for the additional support.
"We want to say thank you for supporting Ukraine in the fight to defend our country," the artists say in the clip.
"Your Bushmasters have been helping our defenders on the front line, and we know that you have something else to help our cause — Hawkeis.
"We would love a little more help."
The pop duo made their plea after placing seventh with their song Heart of Steel in the Eurovision finals in Liverpool last weekend, as Russians attacked their Ukrainian home town.
Ukraine has been lobbying Australia to provide Hawkei tactical vehicles for months, hoping to build on the success its military has found using Australian Bushmaster vehicles.
The Hawkeis are smaller tactical vehicles, with removable armour and optional mounts for weapons.
Ukrainian officials have made clear their ambition is to mount surface-to-air missiles on the Hawkeis and capitalise on the mobility the vehicles provide.
"The most useful application of Hawkei is its ability to provide a highly mobile launch platform for [surface to air missiles]," Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said in a social media post linking to the Tvorchi video.
"This state of the art air defence system is already in use in Ukraine and proves to be a game changer in defending Ukrainian cities and civilians from aerial attacks."
Ukraine's campaign to "free the Hawkeis" has included public rallies around the country in recent weeks aimed to build public pressure.
It follows a similar successful campaign to "free the Leopards", which pushed European countries to provide their Leopard tanks to the war effort.
The Australian government has so far resisted calls to provide Hawkeis, and there is hesitation within army ranks about providing the vehicles.
There have been problems with the Hawkei's braking system, which have delayed the rollout of the vehicles within the ADF.
Ukrainian officials have previously indicated they are unconcerned by the braking problems.
A spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles indicated more military support for Ukraine would be provided.
But it is not clear if that support will include Hawkeis.
"Australia continues to stand with Ukraine as it defends its people, its territory and its sovereignty," they said.
"As the deputy prime minister has said, Australia is working closely with the government of Ukraine about how we can best make a contribution, understanding that this is going to be a protracted conflict."
