First Australian tanks handed over to Ukrainian army
Australia pledged to give Ukraine 49 Abrams tanks worth $245m.
Defence minister, Richard Marles, said the tanks would aid Ukrainian firepower and complement other military equipment donated by allies to repel Russia's invasion.
'Australia remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and seeing a just and lasting peace,' Marles said.
A majority of the tanks have been delivered and a final tranche will arrive in the coming months, but actual numbers have not been released.
Russian missile and drone strikes in Ukraine are targeting civilians in record numbers, according to the United Nations human rights office.
June marked the deadliest month for civilians in more than three years, the UN said.
Australia will also deploy a Wedgetail aircraft to Europe in August to protect the corridors to Ukraine through which aid is delivered.
'Australia stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine,' defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, said.
Australia has committed more than $1.5bn to aid Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
It comes as the federal government negotiates a non-binding security pact with Ukraine, following more than two dozen other nations that have similar agreements.
The agreements are largely vague, are not legally binding and don't include joint security or defence guarantees.
Areas of co-operation for Australia and Ukraine likely to be included in such a pact span military assistance and collaboration.
A second agreement eliminating double taxation to encourage investment in Ukraine to help it rebuild after the devastating war is also set to be inked.
The delivery of tanks also comes as United Nations and humanitarian partners launched an appeal to try and raise hundreds of millions of dollars to protect Ukrainians facing a harsh winter as Russia attacks critical infrastructure.
The winter response plan aims to deliver humanitarian assistance to more than 1.7 million people between October 2025 and March 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
The pub and bar chain thriving thanks to warm weather
Mitchells & Butlers, the pub and bar group, reported a significant boost in customer numbers and strong performance. The owner of Toby Carvery and All Bar One saw like-for-like sales increase by 5 per cent in the quarter ending 19 July. This growth was partly attributed to recent sunny weather and Easter, with both food and drink sales climbing by nearly 5 per cent. Despite facing cost inflation challenges, the company anticipates its annual results will reach the "top end" of industry forecasts. M&B has converted or remodelled 150 venues and opened two new sites this year, though its shares experienced a slight dip in early trading.
Reuters
14 minutes ago
- Reuters
US, China confront each other on Ukraine at United Nations
UNITED NATIONS, July 25 (Reuters) - The United States told China at the United Nations on Friday it should "stop fueling Russia's aggression" in Ukraine, as China accused Washington of trying to shift blame and spark confrontation. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea urged all countries, specifically naming China, to stop exports to Russia of dual-use goods that Washington says contribute to Russia's war industrial base and enable its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. 'Beijing's claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual-use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese-produced components in the drones, weapons, and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine,' Shea told a meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security Council on Ukraine. China did not start the war in Ukraine, is not a party to the conflict, has never provided lethal weapons, and has always 'strictly controlled dual-use materials, including the export of drones,' China's deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang responded. 'We urge the U.S. to stop shifting blame on the Ukraine issue or creating confrontation and instead play a more constructive role in promoting ceasefire and peace talks,' he told the council. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Chinese-made engines are being covertly shipped via front companies to a state-owned drone manufacturer in Russia, labeled as "industrial refrigeration units" to avoid detection in the wake of Western sanctions. "If China is sincere in calling for peace, it should stop fueling Russia's aggression," Shea said.
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
National League to 'discuss Morecambe sanctions'
The National League have "serious concerns" surrounding Morecambe's compliance with its rules and intends to "discuss possible further sanctions", the body has said in a beleaguered club has had a chaotic summer since being relegated from League Two, with a deal yet to take place despite two parties having takeover bids accepted, while the board of directors league said they had met with Shrimps owner Jason Whittingham on Thursday in order to "outline terms that must be met" by 12:00 BST on were held regarding the club's ability to meet its financial obligations for the coming 2025-26 season, it added,, external with a further meeting of its Club Compliance and Licensing committee due to meet again on Monday. Whittingham put the club up for sale in September 2022 but a deal has still not been done, with the club tumbling from League One to the National League having been relegated in two of the past three Warriors have been part of a takeover attempt of the club for more than a year and the EFL approved their takeover earlier this summer after their relegation from League Two was confirmed, but that deal has still not got over the another takeover bid from a consortium led by Jonny Cato was also accepted earlier in July, but it is unclear where that bid - or that of Panjab Warriors' efforts - stands with just over two weeks remaining until the start of the has been a fraught summer for the Lancashire club, as the Shrimps' board previously threatened to put the club into administration if a deal was not board were then sacked by Whittingham but then swiftly brought back to help the deal with Panjab Warriors take after, the board resigned as that deal stalled, with Cato's "last minute" bid later accepted, however he has not been seen or heard from in public since the deal was announced.
