The Brazilian media Tecnologia & Defesa reports that Ukraine is showing interest in purchasing Brazilian armored personnel carriers. According to the publication, the Ukrainian government sent an official request to purchase up to 450 VBTP-MR Guarani (6x6) armored personnel carriers from Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) company through the military attaché at the Ukrainian embassy in Brazil on April 27.
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According to the publication, these armored personnel carriers will be purchased in a medical version for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The vehicles will be painted in red and yellow colors and will be used to evacuate civilians and wounded persons from combat zones to hospitals.
It is noted that Ukraine plans to purchase the vehicles together with the Brazilian command and control (C2) system. The supply of vehicles to the State Emergency Service will be paid for by Ukraine's allies.
The purchase of vehicles specifically in the medical version is explained by the fact that these vehicles will only be used in humanitarian missions and will not be directly involved in combat so that Brazil can maintain its neutrality. On the one hand, this story seems strange, considering that Brazil has repeatedly refused to supply weapons to Ukraine. However, if this information is confirmed, Ukraine will receive additional assistance in ensuring security and medical aid during emergencies.
In particular, the case with the Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters can be mentioned, when Brazil rejected a request to transfer them to Ukraine, noting that they support "peaceful resolution". Or, the country refused to transfer ammunition to the Leopard 1A5 tank and Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. As a result, they paid for it with the same Guarani APCs because the Germans "activated" export control and blocked the sale of these vehicles to the Philippines.
After all this procurement news, purchasing four and a half hundred armored vehicles immediately, even in the medical version, looks quite strange. On the other hand, as the publication says, Brazil is very interested in such a contract for several reasons. Such a massive deal would allow the manufacturer to expand its product line of armored personnel carriers, create more jobs, and the money from the contract could be directed toward creating other modifications of the APC for the country's ground forces.
Finally, the direct manufacturer of these vehicles, the IDV company, has previously requested permission to start negotiations regarding the sale of vehicles but was denied. And it is worth noting that in March 2023, it became known that Brazil had reduced its order for Guarani APCs by almost half - from 1500 to 900, and an additional contract that will almost "cover" this difference will not be superfluous for the manufacturer.
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