Portugal is preparing to hand over M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine – media

The Portuguese government has agreed to hand over M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.

This regards 15 units of equipment, Nascer do SOL reports.

This information was shared with journalists by the sources in the Portuguese Ministry of Defense.

Armored personnel carriers were in service of the Portuguese army for 30 years. Washington called for transferring this equipment to Ukraine, the publication emphasizes.

Portugal received these weapons after 1989 when the United States reduced its presence in the European Union. There were a total of 104 units of M113A2 armored personnel carriers from the Netherlands and 50 units of M113A1 from Germany. Therefore, military aid to Ukraine would account for 10 percent of Portugal’s M113 fleet.

It is also noted that the transfer of armored vehicles corresponds to President Zelensky’s request for military assistance which he outlined during his appeal to the Parliament of Portugal.

It is also reported that together with the M114 armored personnel carriers, the Portuguese government will send ship the 115-mm howitzers, communications equipment, and other small arms to Ukraine.

Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, is expected to visit Kyiv in late May. The date of the visit is not specified for security reasons.

It was previously reported that Ukraine will have one division equipped with the PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzers from Germany and the Netherlands.