Italian Puma 6x6 carriers quietly bolster Ukraine's frontlines
For the first time, a photo of the Puma 6x6 armored personnel carrier in service with the Ukrainian army was published on social media.
As noted by the Militarny portal, none of the countries possessing these types of vehicles have officially announced their delivery to Ukraine. Consequently, the origin and the number of such vehicles sent to the front by an undisclosed donor remain unknown.
Puma 6x6 in service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian portal suggests that Italy is the most likely supplier of the Puma 6x6 armored personnel carriers. Apart from Italy, these armored vehicles are also part of the army equipment in Pakistan, Libya, and Djibouti. However, Libya and Djibouti possess the 4x4 drive variants, which are considered "exotic" in the context of supporting Ukraine.
The connection to Italy is more plausible since the Puma 6x6 was developed by the local Iveco-Oto Melara consortium and manufactured from 2004 to 2021.
Italian armored personnel carrier on the front
Moreover, agreements between Rome and Kyiv are often not publicly announced, and Italian weapons have secretly appeared on the front several times. This was the case with the M109L self-propelled howitzers, B1 Centauro tank destroyers, and Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
The Puma 6x6 armored personnel carrier measures a little over 16 feet in length and weighs around 18,077 pounds. It is designed to be operated by a two-person crew— a driver and a gunner. In addition to them, it can carry up to four additional soldiers in the rear compartment. It's powered by an engine with 180 HP, paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission, enabling the vehicle to reach speeds of about 62 mph. The armament includes either a 7.62 mm or a 12.7 mm machine gun.
The Militarny portal points out that the Puma 6x6 is versatile enough to serve in various roles within the Ukrainian army—from reconnaissance and personnel transport to engaging lightly armored Russian vehicles.
