Breaking News: Social Media Reveals Secret Shipment of Italian-Made Puma 6x6 Armored Vehicles to Ukraine.

A recent photograph published on Telegram has revealed the presence of Italian-manufactured Puma 6x6 armored personnel carriers (APCs) operating within the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This visual confirmation was followed by an official statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in July 2024, which approved the deployment of the Puma APCs within Ukraine’s military units. Despite this, no country, including Italy, has publicly acknowledged the transfer, and the Puma vehicles were not included in any known international aid packages. This delivery, though not officially attributed to any donor nation, was previously reported by Army Recognition in July 2024.
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Italian-made Puma 6x6 armored personnel carrier in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as seen in a photo published on Telegram. (Picture source: Telegram)

The Puma 6x6 is a light armored personnel carrier developed by the Italian defense consortium Iveco-Oto Melara. It is specifically designed for reconnaissance, troop transport, and support missions in various operational environments. Weighing around 8.2 tons, the Puma is powered by an Iveco 8042 four-cylinder diesel engine generating 180 horsepower. This allows the vehicle to reach speeds of up to 110 km/h and offers an operational range of approximately 700 km, making it ideal for fast-paced, high-mobility operations.

For protection, the vehicle features a welded steel hull that provides ballistic resistance against small arms fire up to 7.62 mm and artillery fragments. It includes an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection suite, an automatic fire suppression system, and smoke grenade launchers to increase crew survivability in high-threat environments. The standard armament configuration supports a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm roof-mounted machine gun, and some variants are adaptable for anti-tank guided missile systems such as MILAN or TOW. The Puma accommodates a two-man crew and can carry six to eight fully equipped infantry soldiers in the rear compartment.

While the Puma 6x6 is in service with a limited number of countries—namely Italy, Pakistan, Libya, and Djibouti—the delivery to Ukraine remains officially unattributed. Nonetheless, according to open-source military aid tracking, the delivery is referenced as taking place in May 2024. Italy has historically been among the nations providing Ukraine with extensive military support, making it the most plausible origin, even though Italy has not issued any official statement confirming the transfer.

This delivery is part of a broader trend of Italian-supplied vehicles bolstering Ukrainian capabilities. Previous confirmed deliveries include Bandvagn BV 206S tracked all-terrain vehicles (before March 2023) and over ten VCC-2 APCs—a locally modified version of the M113A1—delivered starting in June 2024. Infantry mobility has also been enhanced with VTLM Lince light tactical vehicles (supplied since June 2022, with some equipped with Hitrole Remote Weapon Stations) and eleven MLS Shield protected vehicles delivered in the same period.

Italy has also contributed extensively to Ukraine’s logistics and mobility capabilities. In 2022 alone, the Ukrainian Armed Forces received 45 Iveco VM 90 tactical vehicles from the Protezione Civile, IVECO Astra SM 66.40 trucks for towing FH-70 howitzers, IVECO ACM 90 military trucks, two IVECO Trakker T380WM heavy transport trucks, and 51 FIAT Fullback 4x4 pickup trucks, some of which were adapted as mobile MANPADS platforms.

The deployment of the Puma 6x6 APC represents another step in Ukraine’s ongoing modernization and mechanization efforts. As Ukrainian forces continue to operate in a dynamic and high-threat environment, the addition of mobile, well-protected platforms like the Puma will significantly enhance operational flexibility, troop safety, and combat effectiveness on the front lines. Despite the mystery surrounding their origin, the integration of these advanced armored vehicles underscores the sustained and evolving nature of international support to Ukraine’s defense infrastructure.