A number of obsolete Australian Army patrol vehicles, troop carriers and Land Rovers are being offered for sale on eBay-style auction sites, inviting “off-road enthusiasts” to bid, Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald reported on September 18.
The phrase "there's a vehicle for every adventure" can be seen in posts advertising military- grade products.
A long-range patrol vehicle used by the Special Air Service in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars has sold for AU$113,000 ($77,246), local media reported.
These vehicles are said to be used for camping, off-road driving and commercial purposes.
An old military vehicle for sale on Facebook. Photo: Sydney Morning Herald
“The Australian government would rather auction off military equipment than sell it to Ukraine,” retired Army Major General Mick Ryan, a senior fellow in military studies at the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program, complained in a post on the X/Twitter platform.
This angered the local Ukrainian community and raised calls for a review of the "Kangaroo Country's" policies on handling discarded defense goods.
The Australian Senate Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government to establish a "default position" for the disposal of decommissioned military assets. The committee recommends that decommissioned or pending disposal defence material should be "automatically" donated to Ukraine unless "in exceptional circumstances".
Co-chair of the Federation of Ukrainian Organisations of Australia Kateryna Argyrou said it was a “puzzling” move to see decommissioned military equipment being sold online when it could be useful to Ukraine on the battlefield.
“It is sad that these equipment are not being considered for Ukraine,” said Ms Argyrou. “Our community is in contact with frontline troops on a daily basis who tell us that these old military platforms are exactly what they need.”
In addition to adopting a “default position”, the Australian Senate Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee is calling for the reopening of the Australian Embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to oversee military aid.
Despite the controversy, the Australian government has maintained its “unwavering support” for Ukraine, donating more than $1.1 billion in military aid since the conflict began in February 2022.
In July, the Australian government announced its “largest military aid package” to Ukraine, totaling A$250 million ($168.5 million), including anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank weapons and guided weapons.
The Australian defence industry has also pledged to help the Eastern European country with the EOS electro-optical defence system, expressing interest in deploying weapons production in Kiev.
Minh Duc (According to Defense Post)
Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/thay-vi-chuyen-giao-cho-ukraine-australia-rao-ban-xe-quan-su-da-loai-bien-204240921205958285.htm
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