Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Poland has supported its eastern neighbour with PLN 7 billion (EUR 1.5 billion) in military aid, President Andrzej Duda confirmed earlier this week.
This figure includes more than 200 T-72 tanks, dozens of infantry fighting vehicles and the 2S1 Carnation self-propelled howitzers, the IAR news agency reported on Friday.
Poland has also supplied other military hardware, from drones to the Grad multiple rocket launchers and the Piorun (Thunderbolt) man-portable air-defence systems, according to IAR.
The Ukrainian army has already had success in using the Piorun systems to shoot down Russian helicopters, according to unconfirmed media reports.
Poland sends over 200 tanks to Ukraine
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday said that his country had delivered tanks to its eastern neighbour.
He did not give any further details at the time.
Government sources told IAR that the machines in question are the T-72 Soviet/Russian battle tanks. Poland has shipped more than 200 of them, or “two brigades’ worth,” to Ukraine, reporters were told.
The news comes after US President Joe Biden on Thursday asked lawmakers to authorise an additional USD 33 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine fend off Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Friday is day 65 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, onet.pl, Reuters
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.