National Guard received nearly three dozen M113 armored personnel carriers

"The armored personnel carriers will provide fire support to units in combat, transport military personnel to positions, deliver ammunition to the front lines, and evacuate the wounded from the battlefield," the statement reads.

It is noted that the armored personnel carriers were purchased from one of the European countries. The vehicles were in storage and underwent modernization before being sent to Ukraine.

What is known about M113

The M113 is a versatile armored personnel carrier that was in serial production from 1960 to 2007. It remained the primary armored personnel carrier for the United States for a long time and was also supplied in significant quantities to other countries.

The total number of M113 armored personnel carriers produced, including variants based on its chassis, exceeds 88 thousand units. As of 2022, it is in use in more than 44 countries worldwide, including the United States.

The armored personnel carrier is designed to transport 13 people, and its armor can withstand hits from mine fragments and bullets up to a caliber of 14.5 mm.

Supply of M113 armored vehicles to Ukraine

Universal armored personnel carriers have been actively used by the Ukrainian armed forces since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Several countries have reported the transfer of these vehicles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

For instance, on June 20, 2023, Portugal announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers and M113 armored personnel carriers.

It was also recently reported that a Belgian company delivered ten upgraded M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. In June, Lithuania announced the transfer of an additional 10 M113 armored personnel carriers and ammunition to Ukraine.