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Australia announces $65 million aid package for Ukraine

by Elsa Court and The Kyiv Independent news desk April 27, 2024 6:15 PM 1 min read

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles in Lviv on April 27, 2024. (Denys Shmyhal / Telegram)

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The Australian government announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth 100 million Australian dollars ($65 million) on April 27, following a meeting between Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles in Lviv.

According to the Australian government, this package takes Australia's military support to Ukraine to 880 million Australian dollars ($575 million).

Shmyhal said that half of the latest package will be allocated to Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS).

More than 30 million Australian dollars ($19.6 million) will be allocated to the international drone coalition for Ukraine, which aims to bolster Ukraine's arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Shmyhal said.

Marles said he was pleased to announce the new batch of military assistance, which includes "world-leading drone technology, with the support of the local Australian defense industry."

"Australia is also providing critical air-to-ground precision munitions and short-range air defense systems," Marles added.

"We highly appreciate the solidarity of the Australian people with Ukraine," Shmyhal said, and thanked Marles for "his deep involvement in Ukrainian affairs, for effective solidarity, for concrete things that Australia does for Ukraine."

Authors: Elsa Court, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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