The 68th Separate Airmobile Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush has expanded its armored vehicle fleet with Italian wheeled Puma APCs in the 4×4 configuration. This was reported on August 5 in a feature for «Army Media» by the unit’s servicemembers. The vehicles are already being used alongside other light APCs such as the HMMWV.
According to crew members, the Puma’s welded steel hull provides protection against small arms fire and shell fragments; however, to counter FPV drones the vehicles have additionally been fitted with homemade anti-drone cages. The structure was designed so that it does not need to be removed during maintenance. Drivers note the ease of handling: the Puma feels similar to a truck, turns easily in confined spaces, is capable of fording water up to one meter deep, and is equipped with power steering and disc brakes on all wheels.
The 4×4 variant was originally developed as a reconnaissance vehicle, but in the context of full-scale war the brigade uses it more broadly — including for transporting personnel. According to the servicemembers, the maximum speed reaches 105 km/h and the operational range is up to 700 km, depending on terrain.
Work on the Puma family was begun by the Italian manufacturer Iveco in the 1980s, based on an experimental armored vehicle in the 4×4 configuration, which served as the conceptual basis for subsequent 4×4 and 6×6 variants. The APC was adopted into Italian service in the early 2000s. In addition to the Italian Army, small numbers of the 4×4 variant were acquired by Libya, Argentina, Djibouti, and Pakistan.
The Puma is powered by a four-cylinder Iveco turbodiesel engine producing approximately 160–180 hp, paired with an automatic transmission. The chassis serves as the basis for command, reconnaissance, and medical variants, as well as configurations mounting anti-tank or anti-aircraft systems or an 81 mm mortar.
The first images of the Puma 6×6 APC in Ukrainian units appeared back in May 2025, when the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhan Brigade of the Air Assault Forces published photographs of the vehicle. The vehicle’s codification for the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been confirmed earlier as well: among nearly forty domestic and foreign armored vehicle models evaluated for possible adoption, the Puma was mentioned in both wheeled configurations.