The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a joint sitting of the Australian parliament on Thursday evening.
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During his address Mr Zelenskyy asked for further access to Australian military vehicles including Bendigo-built Bushmasters. He hopes the military vehicles will help Ukraine defend territory against Russian forces.
Mr Zelenskyy made particular reference to the Bushmaster vehicles which are manufactured at Thales in Bendigo, in central Victoria.
"You have very good armoured vehicles, Bushmasters, that could help Ukraine substantially, and other pieces of equipment could strengthen our position in terms of armaments," he told the parliament.
"If you have an opportunity to share these with us, we would be very grateful. In Ukraine, they will do much more for our common freedom and common security than staying parked on your land."
How has the Australian government responded to Mr Zelenskyy's requests?
So far the Australian government has committed a total of $116 million in Ukrainian military assistance.
It includes Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement of a further $25 million of defensive military equipment for Ukraine and $65 million of humanitarian assistance and 70,000 tonnes of thermal coals for Ukraine's energy needs.
This morning it was also reported Australia will send Bushmasters to Ukraine.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the Australian Defense Force was still examining the logistics of getting the armoured vehicles to Ukraine with the urgent need of the vehicles negating the usual sea-based transportation.
"We might only be able to upload three or four Bushmasters onto a C-17 (military transport aircraft) at once. The other option is we can try and source something out of Germany or France or somewhere else in Europe."
What is a Bushmaster?
Bushmasters are armoured military vehicles that are manufactured by Thales Australia at its North Bendigo factory.
They are designed to protect troops from bomb blasts.
Many Bushmasters have been equipped with machine guns and other comparatively light armaments in Afghanistan.
Currently, Australia's army has 946 Bushmasters in stock.
They have been used by six countries spanning four continents, according to Thales.
They are not currently fitted with missile launchers, which could be useful against planes, ships and fixed army targets.
Why will they help?
Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters said she was not surprised Ukraine wanted trucks with a proven record in war zones.
She said unmodified Bushmasters would be valuable to Ukraine.
"The Bushmaster has been recognised for saving the lives of over 300 Australian soldiers in Afghanistan," she said.
"There is no vehicle safer than a Bushmaster for moving troops, personnel and civilians trying to escape to safety."
But the Ukraine-Russian conflict is a different war to the war in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan was based around improvised explosive devices and small-scale battles in a conflict defined by guerilla warfare compared to the Ukraine conflict which has seen large sieges using military battalions, artillery and air attacks.
One Bushmaster can carry a driver and up to nine passengers, depending on how they are configured.
Thales has fitted them out for a range of roles including as ambulances.
The trucks can carry up to four tonnes.
The latest on the Russian-Ukraine conflict:
Russia invaded the Ukraine on February 24.
Negotiations aimed at ending the five-week war were set to resume on April 1 even as Ukraine braced for further attacks in the south and east.
Mr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were preparing for new Russian attacks on the Donbas region in the southeast after they repelled Russia's assault on the capital Kyiv.
He said the situation in the south and the Donbas remained extremely difficult as Russia builds forces near the besieged southern port of Mariupol.
The mayor's office estimates nearly 5000 people have been killed in Mariupol while about 170,000 people remained trapped amid ruins without food, heat, power or running water.
- with Australian Associated Press.