Sweden to send Ukraine military equipment worth $1.3 billion

MILAN — The Swedish government will send new military equipment to Ukraine worth $1.3 billion to fill the country’s most urgent capability gaps, officials announced on Wednesday.

The aid package will include the Saab-made airborne surveillance and control aircraft, known as ASC-890, which can track ships, drones, aircraft and missiles.

According to a statement published by the Swedish government, the aircraft will strengthen Ukraine’s “capability to identify and engage targets at long range.”

The weapons bundle will also contain a number of Swedish-made, advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, or RB-99-AMRAAM, adapted for ground-to-air engagements.

The Scandinavian country will send its complete stock of armored tracked personnel carriers, the PBV 302, alongside spare parts, ammunition, and maintenance equipment to support the regeneration of new Ukrainian brigades.

The Swedish vehicles, produced by the company now known as BAE Systems Hägglunds, were retired from service in 2014.

Additionally, Kyiv will receive an undisclosed number of 155mm artillery shells from Swedish stockpiles, “to combat Russian units in the depths of the battlefield,” according to the statement.

While this donation will lead to a temporary decline in Sweden’s armament, government officials have already committed to procuring more munitions as replacements. Similarly, defense officials in Stockholm intend to buy more GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from Saab to make up for the donation of the older ASC-890 type.

These Swedish pledge follows military aid commitments from Spain and Belgium this week in the areas of combat aircraft, tanks and air defense.