Ireland is sending 30 non-lethal military vehicles to Ukraine to help its warfighters against Russia’s invasion.
Dubbed “Operation Carousel,” the donation incorporates 20 Ford Ranger mid-size pickup trucks sourced from the Irish Defence Force’s Army Ranger Wing, seven heavy transport systems, two ambulances, and an eight-wheeler recovery vehicle.
The government aid will be supplied to Kyiv in four tranches until July.
Approximately 50 servicemen under the Transport Corps will manage the initiative.
A report from The Irish Times said future Ukrainian vehicles will be transported from the northern French town of Dunkirk to Belgium, Germany and into the International Donor Coordination Cell in Poland.
Located in Rzeszów, the center has been partnering with about 50 international defense agencies to distribute security assistance to Kyiv’s troops since Moscow attacked Ukraine in 2022.
Operation Carousel, carried out by the Defence Forces Transport Corps, will facilitate the safe and secure movement of thirty ex- Defence Forces’ vehicles to the International Donor Coordination Cell in Rzeszów, Poland, as part of Ireland’s European Peace Facility contribution.… pic.twitter.com/xLJeVdLOTZ
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) June 14, 2024
The update noted that Dublin consulted on Operation Carousel with the EU alliance. No Irish soldier will enter Ukraine during the operation.
“Ireland remains steadfast in support for the people of Ukraine following the illegal and immoral invasion by Russia and we will continue to provide what support we can as Ukraine defends itself against ongoing aggression,” Irish Defence Minister Micheál Martin stated.
“The donation of these ambulances and transport vehicles is a practical and concrete measure to show that support and is fully consistent with our position of providing non-lethal aid.”
Latest Donations to Ukraine
The Canadian government is sending a separate package of non-lethal ground-based platforms to Ukraine.
The aid includes 10 Armored Combat Support Vehicles in the medical evacuation variant and 40 in undisclosed configurations. Additionally, Ottawa earmarked 40-million Canadian dollars ($29 million) to fund the Czech Republic’s ammo donation to Ukraine.
In June, Lithuania invested 10 million euros ($10.6-million) to support the rehabilitation of warfighters in Kyiv. It followed the announcement of jammers to boost Ukraine’s counter-unmanned aerial systems.
One month earlier, Denmark allocated 2.4 billion kroner ($224.7 million) of its budget to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems.
Meanwhile, the Latvian government announced the first tranche of its donation under a drone coalition established under the multinational Ukrainian Defence Contract Group.
