- Ukrainian forces are deploying locally made armored vehicles modeled after US military versions.
- Reports say that Ukraine has built analogues of US Humvees, MaxxPros, and M113s.
Kyiv is deploying analogues of US Humvee, MaxxPro, and M113 against Russian forces, reports in the Ukrainian media say.
Recently, several units of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces deployed the "Kharakternyk" armored car, the "Sikach" armored personnel carrier, and the "Fox" carrier, all modeled after American Humvees, MaxxPros, and M113s, Defense Express said.
In a Facebook post, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said that scouts used Sikachs and Kharakternyks in Avdiivka. The Ministry said the vehicles "have proven themselves excellently in combat conditions."
This month, Russian forces captured Avdiivka.
The current production capacity allows Ukrainian forces to deploy five copies of Humvee and M113 vehicles monthly.
After the necessary tests, the completed equipment immediately goes to the front lines.
Manufactured by AM General, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, or Humvees, are light, multipurpose, off-road vehicles built to supersede the venerable jeep and other light trucks.
The M113, manufactured by the FMC Corporation, is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier. Launched in the 1960s, it can carry up to 15 troops.
The MaxxPro, manufactured by Navistar Defense and Plasan Sasa, is a 21st-century armored car.
Sources told the news site OBOZ.UA that Ukrainian Humvees are almost identical to their American counterparts.
One of the specialists who worked on developing Ukrainian Humvees said experienced combat operators and Ukrainian engineers' and mechanics' creativity made the feat possible.
A Ukrainian soldier said that when he first sat in a Ukrainian-manufactured Humvee, he could not tell the difference from a US import. He only realized it was an incredibly accurate local production once he looked closely at the interior.
Ukraine has been continually innovating weapons to bridge the gap with Russian forces.
The FrankenSAM project — the name being a combination of Frankenstein's monster and the acronym for surface-to-air missiles — is a collaboration between the Pentagon and Ukraine.
The systems vary but can include converting Soviet-era Buk M1 antiaircraft systems to fire US-supplied RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles.
In January, Ukraine shot down a Russian exploding drone in a first for the hybrid air-defense systems.