The Ministry of Defence sends a new convoy to Ukraine with light all-terrain vehicles, ambulances and medical equipment

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, was present for the departure from Alcalá de Henares of a land convoy transporting eight light vehicles, two ambulances and five tonnes of diverse medical material to Poland.

The vehicles and medical equipment have been provided by the Army, the Navy and the UME, and arranged for transport by the Projection Support Group (GAPRO), a unit that provides logistical support to operations both on national territory and abroad.

The Minister for Defence was able to observe in situ the work carried out by this unit and to be present at the departure of the convoy with the ten vehicles and the medical material, which will take four or five days to reach Poland, where it will be delivered to the Ukrainian authorities.

In the next few days, a further shipment of 12 heavy vehicles will be sent by sea from the port of Bilbao to the port of an allied country close to Ukraine and from there it will travel by land to a Polish logistics centre.

Robles explained to the press that "these are the priorities that Ukraine has at the moment, and this is what they are asking us for. The war is being very cruel, there are many wounded people, and they urgently need medical material".

In addition to announcing that another shipment of arms is being prepared for November, the minister spoke about the training of Ukrainian soldiers who are currently in Zaragoza.

"From 1 November, more soldiers will arrive, initially in Zaragoza but possibly also in other places", explained Robles, who will visit the Aragonese capital tomorrow, where "we are going to have a small meeting with the Ukrainian military, and we will also visit the wounded who are in the Military Hospital".

For his part, the head of GAPRO, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Quesada, detailed the operation and the shipment of the latest consignment: "A total of 22 vehicles will be transported, including nine heavy transport trucks, four ambulances, two of them all-terrain and two road ambulances, some 80 tonnes in vehicles alone," in addition to 5,000 kg of medical equipment.

"In principle, the operation is not complicated because it is all transit through the European Union to Poland, and once there, the Ukrainian army will take charge of the material," he said.

More than 30 aircraft

Afterwards, Minister Robles held a meeting with personnel from the different logistics chains involved (Army, Navy and EMU) and civilian personnel from the logistics operator contracted by the Operations Command (MOPS).

While conversing with the staff, it was revealed that to date Spain's aid effort to Ukraine has consisted of "some 31 aircraft, including the transport of material and personnel, including both the wounded and children, nearly 80 trucks and two ships".

The minister wished the drivers of the civilian convoy a safe journey and thanked everyone for their work.

Also present for the departure of the convoy was the Secretary General for Defence Policy, Admiral Juan F. Martínez Núñez, and the Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Transport Group, Fernando García Mercadal.

While always safeguarding its own operational capability, these two new shipments are the latest in the Ministry of Defence's continued commitment to providing sustained support to Ukraine in the war it has been fighting against Russia for more than seven months.

Spain is acting in coordination with the countries of the Atlantic Alliance, the EU and the 45-nation Donor Group, and has contributed more than €200 million to the European Peace Facility for Ukraine.

The assistance provided has generally consisted of field artillery, fuel, armoured vehicles, point defence missile systems, medical supplies and winter clothing and equipment. In addition, basic training has begun for Ukrainian forces in Spain.

Non official translation