Echelon with Swedish Pbv 302 APCs spotted in the Czech Republic

6 October, 2024 An echelon of Swedish Pbv 302 armored personnel carriers in the Czech Republic. October 2024. Frame from video by Kozeny Jiri (X social network)

An echelon of Swedish Pbv 302 armored personnel carriers arrived in the Czech Republic. Sweden had previously promised to provide them to Ukraine. A Czech citizen named Kozeny Jiri published the video on the social media X.

The train traveled by rail through the Usti nad Labem station in the Czech Republic. This May, it was reported that the Swedish military would transfer all of its Pansarbandvagn 302 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. The Ukrainian military is currently forming a number of new brigades and therefore needs additional armored vehicles.

The Pbv 302 armored personnel carriers will be supplied with spare parts, maintenance equipment, and ammunition.

The Swedish government noted that the donation temporarily decreases the country's defense capability, therefore, the Swedish Defense Ministry will purchase new armored vehicles. Sweden will also provide tanker trucks and resources to maintain the previously donated equipment. The Swedish Pansarbandvagn 302 tracked armored personnel carrier was developed by Haglund & Soner in the 1960s.

Pansarbandvagn 302 armored personnel carrier, 2009. Photo credits: flickr.com

The military started using them in 1966, and a total of 644 vehicles were produced. By the standards of the 1960s, the Pbv 302 armored personnel carrier received extremely powerful armament in the form of a HS804 20mm automatic gun.

Pbv 302 Armored personnel carrier of the Swedish Armed Forces.

Photo credits: Mans Thuresson

In August, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine authorized the delivery of this Swedish tracked armored personnel carrier to the troops.

Although the vehicle was designed as an armored personnel carrier, it can be used as an infantry fighting vehicle in the Ukrainian Defense Forces.