Trainload of Swedish APCs Filmed in Czechia En Route to Ukraine

Jiři Kožený a Czech blogger, who describes himself as a history buff, posted a video taken at the Ústí nad Labem railway station in the Czech Republic on Saturday morning as a train laden with dozens of Swedish Pansarbandvagn 302 (Pbv 302) armored personnel carriers on their way to Ukraine.

In May the Swedish government announced that it was to provide its entire stock of Pbv 302 armored tracked personnel carriers, estimated at almost 300 in total, to support the proposed formation of new Ukrainian brigades as part of its 16th military support package worth SEK 13.3 billion ($1.28 billion).

The military consignment included the ASC 890 Airborne Surveillance and Control aircraft, RB 99 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 155mm artillery ammunition, financial support, satellite communications, maintenance, tank vehicles as well as parts, maintenance equipment, and ammunition for the Pbv 302 main armament.

Kožený’s video was reposted on YouTube on Sunday:

Sweden’s Pbv 302 was developed by the Haglund & Söner company in the 1960s. It is described as a high-mobility infantry fighting vehicle that saw service with the Swedish Army from 1966 to 2014, with a total of 644 vehicles being produced. It is armed with, what was at the time, an extremely powerful Hispano HS804 20mm automatic cannon.

In August, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense agreed to accept the delivery of the vehicle was designed as an armored personnel carrier it will likely be deployed as an infantry fighting vehicle in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

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The announcement comes with the promise of further support and follows criticism within Australia of the government’s slowness to act.

The Pbv 302 has wide tracks, and a high power-to-weight ratio provided by its 10-liter Volvo, 270 hp diesel engine. This not only gives exceptionally good off-road mobility but results in low ground pressure enables it to operate over summer bog and winter snow – which would make it ideal for use in Ukraine. The vehicle is also fully amphibious with little preparation by the crew.

Maximum road speed is 65 kph (40 mph) and range on roads of about about 300 kilometers (190 miles). Troops in the rear crew compartment can fire their personal weapons through two large roof hatches on the move or rapidly dismount through two side-hinged doors in the rear.