Military support to Ukraine
Sweden has contributed military support to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. There has been a significant change in the level and content of the support provided by Sweden: from personal protective equipment in the first decision to tanks, advanced weapons systems and ammunition in later packages. With support package 17 presented by the Government on September 9, 2024, the total value of Sweden’s military support to Ukraine amounts to approximately SEK 48.4 billion (2 October, 2024).
- Responsible ministries
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Long-term framework for military support
To further enhance Sweden’s support to Ukraine and provide long-term stability, Sweden enables a three-year framework for military support to Ukraine totalling SEK 75 billion for 2024–2026, which equates to SEK 25 billion a year.
Press realese: SEK 75 billion in military support to Ukraine
Arms and equipment
The larger share of Sweden’s military support to Ukraine consists of arms and equipment.
Support in the form of arms and equipment includes Airborne Surveillance and Control aircraft (ASC 890), Armoured tracked personnel carriers (PBV 302), Combat Boat 90, Group Boats (G-boats), artillery pieces (Archer), main battle tanks (Leopard 2), grenade launchers (Carl Gustaf) with ammunition, anti-tank grenade launchers (AT4), anti-tank guided missiles 57 (NLAW), automatic rifles, demining equipment and combat vehicles 90 (CV 90), helmets, advanced ammunition, anti-ship missiles 17, anti-tank systems, off-road passenger vehicles, winter equipment, sights, bulletproof vests, tents, camouflage netting and air defence systems.
Financial support via funds
Sweden has made financial contributions to the following funds:
NATO Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund
National Bank of Ukraine’s fund for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
International Fund for Ukraine (IFU)
In connection with the NATO summit in Washington in July 2024, the UK announced that the International Fund for Ukraine will place a new order, worth approximately £300 million, for 120,000 rounds of 152mm artillery ammunition bolstering Ukraine’s defences against Russia.
About IFU on the UK Government website
Swedish-Ukrainian procurement cooperation
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) is authorised by the Government to negotiate and enter into international agreements with the competent authority in Ukraine, including for the procurement of defence materiel. The agreement also includes cooperation on support for the establishment and development of a procurement organisation and procurement activities, as well as the sharing of information and experience in this area.
Supply solution for military equipment
The Swedish Armed Forces have been commissioned to implement a supply solution for military equipment systems donated to Ukraine. Within the supply solution, the Swedish Armed Forces may operate with up to 60 people on site in Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Since 2022, Sweden has delivered a large number of different types of military equipment, where the Swedish maintenance support is limited to the preparation of the equipment followed by a shipment to Ukraine. However, more advanced weapons and sensors systems require a longer-term supply solution that includes technical system support, spare parts and replacement units, as well as ammunition, in order to maintain their operational impact over time. The Swedish Armed Forces therefore intend to build up a long-term supply solution for qualified military equipment systems such as air defence system 70, combat vehicle 90, main battle tank 122 and artillery system Archer, which have been donated to Ukraine. The supply system will be created through cooperation between the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and relevant Swedish industry.
The commission will run until 31 December 2025.
Czech ammunition initiative
To contribute to Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s war of aggression, Czechia has taken the initiative to purchase large volumes of ammunition with short delivery times in the global market, and additional countries can provide funding.
The Government today authorised the Defence Materiel Administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the responsible authority in Czechia on financial support for procurement of ammunition for Ukraine. Sweden intends support Czechia for this initiative by providing EUR 30 million.
This contribution will be funded as part of Sweden’s 15th military support package, provided as financial contributions to funds and a number of bilateral and multilateral donation projects that countries in the EU and NATO have launched to support Ukraine.
Training activities in support of Ukraine
Training package
The Swedish Government has given the Swedish Armed Forces a framework mandate to carry out and take part in military training of Ukrainian citizens in 2024. Ongoing training activities are now being extended, with the possibility to supplement previous training initiatives with additional activities. This framework mandate will improve the Swedish Armed Forces’ ability to both plan their activities for the year and respond to urgent Ukrainian training needs when they arise.
This decision also means that the Armed Forces will be able to provide training both bilaterally and multilaterally, in Sweden or another EU or NATO member state. The decision also covers Ukrainian units’ access to Swedish territory.
The contents of the training package are based on experience from 2023 and assessments of new training requirements resulting from the recently established capability coalitions (with the framework of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group). It is estimated that upwards of 18 000 Ukrainian students will go through the training activities in which Swedish instructors take part in 2024.
The following training activities may become relevant with the support of this training package:
- training on military equipment that Sweden has donated;
- participation in various types of multilateral training activities, similar to Interflex or Interforge (which aims to provide training activities focused on amphibious warfare);
- training within the framework of one of the capability coalitions in which Sweden is a member, such as maritime education in the form of amphibious combat techniques, underwater mine clearance within the framework of the International Maritime Security Coalition or participation in various types of land mine clearance training activities in the Demining Coalition for Ukraine; and
- leadership training, where Swedish instructors conduct courses for prospective group or platoon leaders, as well as tactical training for staff officers.
Training in JAS 39 Gripen
The Swedish Armed Forces have been commissioned to provide orientation training for Ukrainian pilots and associated aeronautical personnel in JAS 39. The background to this is that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have expressed a wish to be able to evaluate JAS 39 operationally, since one of the most urgent measures is to strengthen Ukrainian air defence with a NATO-interoperable fighter aircraft system.
JAS 39 is highly capable of operating in the requested air defence role and as an attack and reconnaissance aircraft. JAS 39 Gripen is fully NATO-interoperable and was developed to be able to operate from scattered road bases, which has proved crucial for the survival of the Ukrainian Air Force. In addition, JAS 39 can be rapidly refuelled and rearmed, where conscripts are used in the preflight inspection and servicing of the aircraft.
EUMAM Ukraine
Since spring 2023, Sweden is participating in the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). Swedish instructors are contributing to medical training and infantry battalion training conducted at the Special Training Command (ST-C), one of the mission’s two force headquarters, in Germany.
Within the framework of EUMAM, Sweden has also conducted training on donated military materiel. The mission provides basic and specialised training for Ukrainian soldiers on EU Member States’ territory. The strategic objective is to strengthen the military capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces so that Ukraine can defend its territorial integrity and effectively exercise its sovereignty.
EUMAM Ukraine is led by the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) in Brussels, which serves as a strategic and operational headquarters for the mission. Sweden has contributed personnel reinforcements to the MPCC since the autumn of 2022 and will continue doing so until November 2024.
Interflex
In addition, Sweden contributes to the British-led Operation Interflex, which conducts basic military training for Ukrainian citizens. In 2022 Sweden participated in the form of 60 staff officers and/or instructors, and will continue to contribute in 2023.
Demining training in Lithuania
On 22 December 2022, the Government decided that Sweden will help train Ukrainian demining sappers. In the project, the Swedish Armed Forces will train 48 Ukrainian instructors who will then train 100 demining sappers each in Ukraine. This means that around 4 800 people will have been trained in demining by the end of the year. The Swedish instructors will be detached from the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (Swedec), which is Sweden’s centre of excellence for national and international missions in ammunition and demining.
Demining is crucial for the mobility of the Ukrainian units in general, but is particularly important for the mobility of the mechanised infantry units when carrying out an offensive. A high attack rate is then crucial for being able to win terrain while not risking being opposed. Military logistics also rely on mobility, as much of the support that the attacking units require consists of various types of transports. A well-developed demining capability also supports civil society during the war and is of central importance for Ukraine's recovery.
The training is taking place in Lithuania as part of Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) and began in March. Lithuania supports the operation by granting land for use as exercise terrain, and logistics. Instructors from Sweden, Iceland and Norway participate in the training, which will be carried out four times during 2023.
More information about the content of the various support packages
Valued at around SEK 4.6 billion.
The package includes:
- Acquisition of materiel parts for the JAS 39 Gripen
- 40 mm of ammunition for previously donated Combat Vehicle 90s
- Camouflage equipment for previously donated armoured tracked personnel carriers (PBV 302)
- Additional funds to support the demand for small flying drones
- Combat Boat 90
- Launching trailers that can handle various types of boats (including the Combat Boat 90)
- Robot System 70
- Grenade-launchers with ammunition, recoilless rifles with ammunition, and small-calibre ammunition
- Anti-tank weapons
- Anti-tank mines
- Protective face masks and protective equipment to enable work/operations in contaminated environments
- Helmets and winter equipment
Valued at around SEK 13.3 billion.
The package includes:
- Airborne Surveillance and Control aircraft (ASC 890)
- Armoured tracked personnel carriers (PBV 302)
- Artillery ammunition
- Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (RB 99-AMRAAM)
- Surplus fuel transport vehicles from the Swedish Armed Forces
- Maintenance of previously donated Swedish materiel
- Financial support to capability coalitions
- Financial support to funds and temporary initiatives to enable swift and large-scale procurement of materiel to Ukraine
- In connection with the package, the Swedish Defence Research Agency will be tasked with supporting Ukraine in establishing its own defence research institute
- Ukraine’s command and control capability will be further strengthened through a donation of terminals with subscriptions for satellite communications
Valued at around SEK 7.1 billion.
The package includes:
- Combat Boat 90
- Group Boats (G-boats)
- Underwater weapons
- Artillerary ammunition
- Anti-aircraft system (Robot 70)
- Light anti-tank weapons (Robot 55 TOW)
- Recoilless rifles with ammunition
- Hand grenades
- Medical equipment
- Medical transport vehicles
- Food
- A donation to enable Ukraine to purchase new Combat Vehicle 90s (CV90)
- Financial donations to various bilateral and multilateral projects to develop Ukraine’s defence capabilities
- Financial donations to multilateral funds that purchase military equipment for Ukraine in the free market
Valued at around SEK 2.66* billion.
The package includes:
- Ammunition
- Spare parts
- Infantry equipment
- Communication equipment
- Ammunition for Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90)
- Extension of Sweden’s contribution to Interflex
- Extension of Sweden’s contribution to the Nordic explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) training operation in Lithuania
- Assignment to the Swedish Armed Forces, supported by the Defence Materiel Administration, to analyse and report on the conditions for possible support to Ukraine in the form of combat aircraft JAS 39 Gripen
*Updated amount due to conversion in exchange rate as package 14 is included in an additional amending budget 2024 (package presented in October 2023).
Valued at around SEK 3.4 billion.
The package includes:
- Spare parts for combat vehicle 90 and main battle tank 122, as well as crisis preparedness goods to a value of not more than SEK 1.1 billion
- Ammunition with ammunition components, transport vehicles and demining equipment to a value of SEK 2.15 billion
- The Riksdag has authorised the Government to sell air-to-air missiles of the RB 99 (AMRAAM) type to the United States in 2023
- The support package also includes compensation to the Swedish Armed Forces for transport and protective security costs, for example
Valued at around SEK 250 million.
The package includes:
- SEK 140 million to the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU)
- SEK 90 million to the NATO Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund
- A commission to the Swedish Armed Forces to conduct orientation training of Ukrainian pilots in JAS 39
- A commission to the Swedish Armed Forces to implement a supply solution for military equipment systems
- A commission to the Swedish Armed Forces to continue to place personnel at MPCC for EUMAM Ukraine
Valued at around SEK 6.3 billion.
The package includes:
- Artillery piece Archer
- Parts for robot system 97 (HAWK)
- Main battle tank 122 (Leopard 2)
Valued at around SEK 4.3 billion.
The package includes:
- 50 Combat vehicle 90 (CV90)
- Anti-tank guided missile 57
- Grenade launcher including ammunition
- Anti-tank grenade launcher
- Automatic rifles
- Demining equipment
Valued at around SEK 3 billion.
The package includes:
- Air defence systems
- Qualified ammunition
- Off-road passenger vehicles
- Winter equipment
- Sights
- Bulletproof vests
- Tents
- Camouflage netting
Valued at around SEK 1 billion in total.
The packages include:
- Anti-tank systems
- Supporting weapons
- Demining equipment
- Artillery ammunition
- Surplus materiel
- Training operation in the UK
Valued at around SEK 1 billion in total.
The packages include:
- Helmets
- Bulletproof vests
- Daily rations of non-perishable foods
- Anti-tank grenade launcher
- Demining equipment
- Personal protective equipment
- Contribution to the NATO Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust
- Fund
- Anti-ship missile system 17
- Automatic rifles and ammunition
- Surplus materiel
- SEK 500 million and SEK 577 million to the National Bank of Ukraine’s fund for the Armed forces of Ukraine (February and June 2022 respectively)
- SEK 50 million to the NATO Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund (December 2023)
- Nine personal watercrafts donated by the Swedish Coast Guard, valued at around SEK 810.000 (March 2024)
- Seven additional personal watercrafts donated by the Swedish Coast Guard, valued at around SEK 630.000 (September 2024)