Russia displays destroyed Australian Bushmaster from war in Ukraine

Russia has displayed a destroyed Australian-made Bushmaster as part of a war trophy exhibition of military vehicles captured from Ukrainian forces.

The gutted and blast-damaged Bushmaster was shown with a placard and sign displaying Australian flag in Patriot Park, which is located just outside Moscow.

It was reported in May that one of the 20 Australian Bushmasters vehicles sent as military aid to Ukrainian forces was destroyed between Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. 

Footage emerged of a burnt-out wreckage of a Bushmaster sitting in an empty field but a Ukrainian commander told an Australian reporter all those in the vehicle survived.  

The vehicle on display outside of Moscow showed extensive bomb blast damage on its armoured panels but remained otherwise mostly intact. 

Various other tanks, armoured vehicles and even boats from different countries were also put on display outside Moscow as part of the International Military-Technical Forum ‘Army 2022’, Russia’s largest annual defence showcase.

Ukrainian soldiers have sung the praises of Australian-made Bushmasters and and pleader for more to be sent to fight off the brutal Russian invasion of their country. 

The sturdy adaptable vehicles are reportedly being used as frontline ambulances and were in constant action under heavy fire in Ukraine’s east.

It was announced last month that Australia would be sending 40 more of the vehicles to the country as well as 14 heavier M113AS4 vehicles, four of which have already gone.

During a July visit to the factory, in the Victorian city of Bendigo, where the Bushmasters are made, Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said they were proving vital to his country’s war effort.

‘Bushmasters are actually saving lives in Ukraine,’ he told the ABC.

‘Australia is the biggest ally outside of NATO for us — it demonstrates solidarity.

‘Australia is punching above its weight in this support.’ 

 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month announced an additional $99.5 million aid package for war-torn Ukraine.

This brings the overall commitment to $388 million, which is the largest non-NATO country contribution to the Ukrainian war effort.

Mr Myroshnychenko says more military equipment still is needed as the brutal conflict drags on.

‘We have several Bushmasters which are operating as ambulances, so they’re used to deliver wounded from the battlefield to the military hospital where they get the treatment,’ he said.

‘Because of the scale of this war we could benefit from more, definitely — we could make use of another 40, make it 100.

‘If you look at the scale of the war in Ukraine, we have the biggest deployment of ground troops since the Second World War, so vehicles like the Bushmaster are in high demand.

‘Every day Ukraine is losing about a hundred soldiers.’

In August a Bushmaster commander, who was only named as Vitaly, told the Sydney Morning Herald he saw the Bushmaster get destroyed during the eastern battle. 

‘I was there, I saw that Bushmaster go in for the first time, bring the guys back and then go in a second time. And then it got hit,’ unit commander Vitaly said. 

‘It’s armoured inside and that’s a big plus for this vehicle because it protects the safety and the health of the soldiers inside. 

‘If we had more vehicles like this, we would save more lives – and the lives of our soldiers are the most important thing.’

It’s not just the safety of the Bushmasters that make the vehicle popular with the Ukrainian defenders compared to their Soviet-era troop transports. 

‘First of all, it’s very comfortable,’ Vitaly said. 

It has air-conditioning, it’s like a house on wheels. 

‘I would have lived inside. I stay in it all the time.’

The Bushmaster, nicknamed ‘The Bushy’, is an 11-tonne armoured military vehicle built in the Victorian city of Bendigo and is designed to deploy up to 10 soldiers to the battlefield.

The 20 vehicles sent to Ukraine were refitted for duty after being ‘retired’ having seen extensive service in Afghanistan and emergency relief zones. 

They were repainted olive green with Ukraine’s flag stencilled on each side.

The words ‘United with Ukraine’ were emblazoned on the vehicles in both English Ukrainian along with a kangaroo bounding next to a Ukrainian flag.

Vitaly made a plea for Australia to send more along with other munitions, such as the six light-weight towed howitzer cannons that accompanied the Bushmasters. 

‘We need artillery and ammunition for the artillery,’ he said.

‘We need howitzers, we need more tanks and armoured vehicles – a lot of armoured vehicles.’ 

On June 9, Australia sent the first four of 14 heavier M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers to the Ukraine.

The vehicles were loaded onto a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 aircraft at the RAAF Base Amberley just outside of Brisbane.  

The M113AS4 is an advanced variant of the American M113 model, which has been in service since the Vietnam war.

In response to requests made by Ukraine, Australia has pledged over $285million in military aid which also includes anti-armour weapons, ammunition, drones,  medical supplies plus other equipment. 

Defence Minister Richard Marles said it showed Australia’s continued commitment to the Ukrainian people. 

‘Australia stands with Ukraine, and again calls on Russia to cease its unprovoked, unjust, and illegal invasion of Ukraine,’ Mr Marles said.

Since launching its all-out assault on the Ukraine in February Russia has encountered staunch resistance.

It is now concentrating its efforts on securing the eastern area of Donbas, which broadly refers to Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.  

The area was largely held by Russian-backed separatists before the invasion.