Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced another military support package for Ukraine worth $110 million.
Australia will send a further 70 military vehicles to Ukraine, including 28 armoured vehicles.
It will also send artillery ammunition to Ukraine, and provide $10 million to the United Nations to help meet humanitarian needs in the country in the wake of Russia’s invasion.
Australia has already supplied Ukraine with support worth more than $650 million, including through providing Bushmaster armoured personnel carriers, drones and ammunition.
Mr Albanese denied Australia’s extra support for Ukraine was in response to an aborted mutiny in Russia at the weekend.
He said Australia had offered additional support for Ukraine around every four months.
In February, on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Australia pledged drone systems worth $33 million.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked Australia to send retired fighter jets and light armoured Hawkei patrol vehicles.
Hawkeis, like the Bushmasters, are built in Australia.
The latest support does not include either, which Mr Albanese said was based on advice from the Australian Defence Force.
“On Hawkei, I know that has been raised, the advice is that would not be the best way to provide assistance to Ukraine,” the prime minister said.
Mr Albanese has dubbed the weekend’s events in Russia as a disaster for Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin.
He said it was further evidence that Mr Putin should withdraw from his invasion of Ukraine.
The prime minster said Australia would continue to support Ukraine for as long as needed.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the government expected it to be a protracted conflict in Ukraine.
“We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to resolve this conflict on their terms,” he said.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has backed the additional support for Ukraine, said the government should have offered more and sooner.
He said the world had seen the “insanity of President Putin” in the “slaughter” of innocent men, women and children.
Mr Dutton, who was the defence minister when Russia invaded Ukraine, said the government should send the Hawkeis to Kyiv.
“Frankly, [the government] should get on with it and provide that support because if they don’t, lives will be lost,” he said.
Source : ABCNews
