The KORD special forces unit of the National Police of Kharkiv region has received two Ukrainian armoured personnel carriers Kozak. The equipment was purchased at the expense of the regional budget; each vehicle costs about UAH 12.8 million/ $355,000.
The armored vehicles are mine-proof and equipped with a machine gun. The cars are not the first to be used by the assault troops, as a similar vehicle was delivered to them in June 2023.
According to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, the special unit communicated with the manufacturer to select the vehicles suitable for the tasks. They are already in operation in the Kupyansk direction and other hostilities area in the region. The National Police is involved in evacuating children, including those in Kupyansk district.
“This was a project last year aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of our region. We strengthened the material and technical base of the KORD special police unit. This unit stopped and actually stopped the [Russian] sabotage and investigation group that tried to enter on February 27, 2022,” Syniehubov adds.
This year’s project has already been completed, but next year it is planned to continue supporting the defense forces. The priority is also to rebuild damaged housing, and billions of hryvnias are spent on this.
More about Kozak-7
Kozak-7 is an armored vehicle developed by the Ukrainian company NPO Practika in cooperation with other members of the League of Defense Enterprises. It was first presented to the Armed Forces Command in early 2022.
As reported by the Industrial Portal, even before the full-scale war, such vehicles were developed for foreign customers according to individual specifications. They were intended primarily for combat operations in urban areas.
The vehicle has a 390 hp Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel engine and can reach 150 km/h. It can carry up to 9 soldiers. The level of ballistic protection complies with the PZSA-5 standard (similar to NATO STANAG 4569 lvl 2) and protects against 7.62×51 mm bullets in all projections. Mine protection withstands mines with a capacity of up to 6 kg of TNT.
A line of special vehicles (command and staff, control centers, anti-tank systems, medical, etc.) is also available based on Kozak-7.
Additional features
- Gross weight – 11800 kg;
- Length – 6600 mm;
- Width – 2340 mm;
- Body height – 2600 mm;
- Transmission – automatic;
- Ground clearance – 370 mm;
The vehicle did not enter service before the full-scale invasion began, so the production of armored vehicles began in Ukraine during the war.
“We are performing combat mission in the Kupyansk sector, clearing the territory, evacuating both the population and helping the Ukrainian military, and this vehicle provides support for the infantry, so we can both retreat and advance, and the armor allows us to evacuate personnel reliably,” says the head of the Special Forces.
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