Defence official reveals why Ukraine wants Aussie-made Hawkei vehicles

Ukrainians rallied around Australia to call on the Australian government to “Free the Hawkei” by sending their armoured vehicles over to Ukraine, says Ukraine Defence Official Yuriy Sak.

“I would like to use this opportunity join that flash mob and to ask the Australian government to free the Hawkei,” Mr Sak told Sky News Australia.

“They are very, very powerful and useful on the battlefield – light armoured vehicles which would really, really be helpful to Ukraine in our cause of liberating our land.”

The Ukrainian government has been appealing for the Australian government to provide the light four-wheel-drive protected mobility vehicle for several months, but to no avail.

Australia has about 1,100 Hawkeis, which are manufactured in the same Bendigo facilities as the Bushmasters that are already serving in Ukraine.

According to reports, the Australian Defence Department has ruled out sending over any of Australia’s Hawkeis because the entire fleet needs to be recalled to fix a fault with the anti-lock braking system.

But, Ukraine has continued to request the vehicles, claiming the fault is “not an issue” for them.

Speaking to Sky News Australia’s Erin Molan, Ukrainian defence adviser Yuri Sak said the vehicles would “save lives” by helping to combat the threat from Russian drones and cruise missiles.

“The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations has been very active in advocating for Australian Government to send Ukraine the Hawkeis,” Mr Sak said.

“Why? Not just because we want some nice modern equipment, because Hawkeis are armored four-by-four vehicles which can have special equipment attached to them and they can be used as anti-drone weapons. They can help us save lives.”

Hawkeis can be equipped with a version of the NASAMS, an advanced surface-to-air missiles system jointly developed by Norway and the United States, which can defend against drones, helicopters, cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft.

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Mr Sak said Iranian-made Shahed drones and cruise missiles were both a “big threat” to the Ukrainian population.

“In May, just in one month, Ukraine was the target of almost 600 cruise and ballistic missiles and hundreds of Iranian Shahed drones,” the defence official said.

“Last night last night, 15 cruise missiles entered Kyiv and 21 drones… luckily we have been able last night to shoot them all down, but this is intolerable.

“It’s one thing when adults have to wake up at 3am in the morning and run to shelter, but think about the children.

“Yesterday there was an International Children’s Day and a child, a nine year old girl, was killed in Kyiv by a missile attack. This is a nightmare that needs to end.”

Mr Sak said Russia was attempting to break the will of Ukrainians and the international community supporting Ukraine.

“I can give you a guarantee and assurances that Ukraine will win this brutal and aggressive war why? Because we are supported by our friends because we’re not alone in this fight,” he said.

“We’re not asking anybody to fight for us. We’re doing the fighting ourselves.

“But, we are asking for more weapons more air defense. We’re asking for F16s. We’re asking for Hawkeis, more Bushmasters.”

On Monday, Tony Abbott called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to have a “big new package of assistance” ready to announce at the NATO summit in July.

Echoing these comments, Mr Sak said hoped the summit “will be the moment when the Australian Government will announce more military support and Australia will reclaim the title of the largest non NATO contributor to Ukraine’s war effort”.

Paraphrasing the words of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Maher, Mr Sak said he knew Ukraine would win the war against Russia because they “don’t have an alternative”.

“We will win, so stand with us, send us more military support, and we will end this horror we will bring the perpetrators of these atrocities to account and together we will celebrate our joint victory and shared values,” he said.