Turkey's discreet delivery: Kirpi carriers reinforce Ukraine
Turkey, which generally does not publicise its delivery of military equipment to Ukraine, has sent dozens of Kirpi armoured personnel carriers to the front. Members of a Ukrainian crew using these vehicles highlighted their main features.
The Kirpi is a heavy-armoured personnel carrier manufactured by BMC Otomotiv. It weighs about 20 metric tonnes and, in the variant provided to Ukraine, features a 4x4 drivetrain and interior seating for 13 people (three seats are reserved for the crew). According to the manufacturer, this vehicle's range is about 1,000 kilometres, but its key feature is its very high durability.
The Ukrainians evaluated the Turkish armoured carriers
According to the Ukrainian soldiers, the manufacturer's claims are reflected in practice, and the Kirpi armoured personnel carriers perform well in the realities of the war with Russia. One Ukrainian soldier notes that Kirpi translates literally to "Hedgehog," which alludes to its dual-layered armour construction that significantly enhances its durability. The V-shaped hull, which disperses the force of mine or improvised explosive device blasts, and the built-in automatic fire suppression system are significant features.
A Ukrainian member of the Kirpi crew also praised the combat module with a Belgian 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on a rotating turret as reliable and serving as the main armament. The vehicle is powered by a Cummins diesel engine with 375 horsepower, which, according to the Ukrainian, allows this Turkish armoured personnel carrier to accelerate to even 120 km/h—slightly more than the manufacturer claims.
Turkey's specific approach to the war in Ukraine
Turkey is an important NATO member and an ally of Ukraine. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is one of the few NATO leaders who retains the ability to negotiate with both the West and Moscow.
Turkey provides the front with drones, including the Bayraktar TB2 (it is even planning a service centre for them in Ukraine), as well as Cobra II armoured vehicles, T-155 Firtina self-propelled howitzers, and the mentioned Kirpi armoured carriers. On the other hand, it does not want to give up some Russian weapons in its ranks (mainly air defence systems), which sometimes leads to misunderstandings between Ankara and Washington and, for example, problems with purchasing American fighter jets.
