Ukraine 'using Israeli-made military vehicles', arms tracker says

The Ukrainian military is allegedly using Israeli-made vehicles, according to an arms tracker.

Kyiv is currently engaged in a courageous fightback against an unprovoked Russian invasion and occupation.

Its alleged use of Israeli-made vehicles comes despite Israel having occupied the Palestinian territories for decades, abusing the civilian population and continually expanding its illegal settlements there.

"For the first time ever Ukrainian forces were spotted using Israeli-made military vehicles!" the Ukraine Weapons Tracker account alleged in a tweet on Friday.

"Here we see an Israeli GAIA Amir MRAP, currently deployed in #Kherson Oblast," the account said, attaching two photos, on the day Russian troops withdrew from the city of Kherson.

An MRAP is a "Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected" armoured vehicle.

Ukraine Weapons Tracker said there was "no information" on how the vehicles came to be in the country.

#Ukraine: To make today even more notable- for the first time ever Ukrainian forces were spotted using Israeli-made military vehicles! Here we see an Israeli GAIA Amir MRAP 🇮🇱, currently deployed in #Kherson Oblast.

There is no information how these vehicles appeared in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/yhoAH8J30M

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) November 11, 2022

Neither country has confirmed its presence in Ukraine but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Israel to assist it in its fightback against Russia.

Benny Gantz, Israel's now outgoing defence minister, last month said his country "will not transfer weapon systems to Ukraine due to a variety of operations considerations", according to news website The Times of Israel.

Ukraine Weapons Tracker's report on the armoured vehicles came on the same day Kyiv voted against Israel at the United Nations.

The Eastern European country backed a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to deliver an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

It prompted criticism from the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky.

He tweeted: "Ukraine's support of the UN resolution 'Israeli Practices', denying Jewish ties to [the] Temple Mount [Al-Aqsa Mosque compound] and calling for ICJ advisory opinion is extremely disappointing.

"Supporting anti-Israel initiatives in the UN doesn't help to build trust."

The draft resolution passed the General Assembly's Special Political and Decolonization Committee on Friday by 98-17 with 52 abstentions, amid vehement opposition from Israel.

Allies of Israel, including the US, Canada, Australia, Austria and Germany voted against the motion.

The resolution will now go to the 193-member General Assembly for a final vote before the end of the year where it is almost guaranteed to be given the green light.

Agencies contributed to this report.