Slovenia has sent 20 six-wheeled light armoured personnel carriers (APC) to Ukraine, the 24.ur portal reported on 26 April, while the Defence Ministry declined to comment. Completed in secrecy, this is the latest shipment of arms after Slovenia has already donated tanks, howitzers, infantry vehicles and other gear.

The 6x6 APCs, primarily designed to transport troops, are armed with 40mm cannons and 12.7mm machine guns. They had been in service with the Slovenian Armed Forces for more than two decades and represent the newest weaponry that Slovenia has donated to Ukraine, according to POP TV.

The vehicles were made in the 1990s by a Slovenian company on licence from the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge, which is now part of the US defence contractor General Dynamics European Land Systems.

POP TV says the shipment was made in complete secrecy and the vehicles were shipped to Ukraine with transport aircraft via either Poland or Slovakia. The operation was completed this week.

The Defence Ministry neither confirmed nor denied the report for the STA, invoking a government decision which stipulates that data on Slovenian military aid to Ukraine are confidential.

Slovenia has previously donated 28 Yugoslav-made M55S, 35 Yugoslav-made M80A tracked infantry vehicles, 20 HMMWV Humvees, 16 M2A1 howitzers and significant amounts of other arms and equipment, according to POP TV.