Croatia Company to Help Repair Ukraine’s Soviet-Era Tanks - 3

Croatia Company to Help Repair Ukraine’s Soviet-Era Tanks

At a NATO defence sector meeting in Brussels, Croatia's Djuro Djakovic company is touting its skills in producing and repairing T-72 and M-84 tanks, which are widely used by Ukraine.

Defence ministers of NATO states met on Thursday in Brussels with representatives of 25 companies from the defence industry, including Croatia’s Djuro Djakovic, with whom they discussed strengthening military aid to Ukraine.

“We had 25 companies gathered here [and] … I am glad that one of those 25 companies was from Croatia,” said Croatian Minister of Defence Mario Banozic, who is participating in the two-day meeting in Brussels.

He told the Croatian News Agency, HINA, that Djuro Djakovic can contribute with its knowledge and capacities for maintaining Soviet-made tanks, which are still widely used in Ukraine, and for maintaining Patria armoured vehicles.

Djuro Djakovic has been producing T-72 tanks, or a more modern version of the M-84, since the 1980s. It has been the main armoured vehicle in Ukraine since the collapse of the USSR.

Besides producing Soviet-era tanks, the company adapts these same tanks to NATO standards.

“Djuro Djakovic Special Vehicles also offers development, production and/or integration services of new, new-generation NATO interoperable systems designed to improve the existing M-84/T-72 tanks and… ensure compatibility and interoperability between new and improved tanks,” the weapons factory’s website says.

The Croatian minister expressed regret that Croatia is not participating in the EU mission to train Ukrainian soldiers, which President Zoran Milanovic vetoed.

“Unfortunately, Croatia is not participating in that mission that could have contributed to what worries Ukrainian forces the most, namely the minefields. Croatia was ready to train engineering units for mine action. In this way, we would contribute to the security of the Ukrainian forces,” said Banozic.

Croatia is not participating in the mission because Milanovic, who has conflicted with the Croatian government since the start of his mandate, was against it.

One of his functions is as supreme commander of the armed forces, which he used to stop sending Croatian soldiers to train Ukrainian soldiers.

Banozic said representatives of the US company BAE Systems, manufacturer of Bradley armoured vehicles, were also present at the meeting and announced that next month an agreement would be signed for vehicles that the US will donate to Croatia.

“The American company is ready to give Djuro Djakovic a chance, and I expect that the contract will be signed next month,” said Banozic, adding that the company from Slavonski Brod will become a regional hub for the maintenance of these vehicles.

“NATO has recognized the quality of the Croatian defence industry by inviting the company Djuro Djakovic, which has many years of experience in maintaining systems of older products such as tanks, as well as newer systems such as Patria vehicles, and soon the Bradley infantry fighting vehicles that … Croatia is acquiring,” said Banozic.