Ministry of Defence sends 20 tonnes of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to Ukraine

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, this morning attended the loading of one of the two A400M aircraft from the 31st Air Force Wing at the Torrejón Air Base, which will transport 20 tonnes of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to Ukraine.

The planes will land and drop off the cargo at an airport in Poland, close to the Ukrainian border, where it will be picked up by the Ukrainian authorities.

The cargo carried by the aircraft consists of medical supplies (masks, gloves and medical protection suits) and defence and personal protective equipment provided by the army (helmets, flak jackets and NBC protection waistcoats).

The Minister for Defence thanked the Spanish Army and Air Force for the great effort they have made so that this material could be transferred today.

Margarita Robles also announced that the Military Health Service has offered the Ministry of Health 75 beds in the Central Defence Hospital and 25 in the Military Hospital of Zaragoza to attend to Ukrainian wounded.

The aid sent by Spain "urgently" will not be detrimental to the aid sent in coordination with the EU, which this afternoon will agree, at a meeting of the foreign ministers of its member states, on "coordinated mechanisms for the delivery of material", according to Robles. In addition, the bloc will hold a meeting of defence ministers on Monday to address the situation.

Non official translation