Lithuania prepares a shipment of 20 M113 tracked APCs to Ukraine


According to a Tweet published by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense on May 25, 2022, Lithuania prepares a new shipment of military aid to Ukraine including 20 M113 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles, 10 military trucks, and 10 SUVs configured for demining operations. All these combat vehicles come from the military inventory of the Lithuanian armed forces.
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Lithuanian army M113 tracked APC Armored Personnel Carrier vehicle. (Picture source Twitter Baltic Security)


Lithuania's donation of 20 M113s to Ukraine should not affect the operational capabilities of the Lithuanian army.

In 2021, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the importance of Lithuania's support for Ukraine's European Union and NATO aspirations, while the Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda noted that Lithuania supports Ukraine's progress and welcomes reforms in Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has strongly condemned the Russian troop's invasion and called for military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. On February 13, 2022, Lithuania sent FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems and ammunition to Ukraine. Military aid further continued and, according to the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, on 26 April 2022, the military aid amounted to €100 million.

According to the military balance 2021, the Lithuania army has a total of 260 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles including 234 M113A1 and 26 M577 command post vehicles based on the tracked chassis of the M113. Lithuania has acquired 154 M113A1 and 200 M113A2 vehicles transferred from Germany between 2000 and 2006, some vehicles were not operational and were used as sources for spare parts only.

The M113A1 is a lightly full tracked air-transportable Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) designed to carry personnel and certain types of cargo. In APC configuration the vehicle has a crew of three including a driver, commander, and gunner. The rear part of the hull can accommodate up to 10 infantrymen. The top of the hull is fitted with a circular ring-mount weapon station armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

The all-welded aluminum armor hull of the M113 protects the crew from the firing of small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. The vehicle can run at a maximum road speed of 61 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 480 km.