Despite its legendary secrecy, the Cuban Armed Forces revealed two of its brand new Ural-4320 trucks, a Russian-made military SUV whose latest model has already been received by the island. The images of two Ural troop transports, packed with young soldiers – or pioneers with flags, in some towns – and published by the official pressdid not go unnoticed by fans and specialists in weapons.
The Ural-4320s went “for a walk” during the so-called Freedom Caravan, a kind of symbolic reproduction of the route followed by Fidel Castro in January 1959 towards Havana, and which several historians describe as a “theatrical” delay to increase the effect of his arrival in the capital.
Cuban Television filmed in detail the crossing of the two trucks, through municipalities in the eastern part of the Island. Shiny, they presided over the fleet of smaller military vehicles that, on both sides of the street, were received by a crowd pro-regime. Then, the jeeps parked in the central square of the town and waited for the local secretary of the Communist Party – or the municipal governor – to commemorate Castro’s passing in an act.
More discreet, behind the Ural, came Sinotruck Howo tactical trucks –made in China– of the ZZ-2167M4327A series, which until now were not known to be in the possession of the Cuban military either. There is no public record of the purchase of these machines and this is the first time that the Armed Forces have exhibited them.
The Russian company UralAZ has been manufacturing heavy trucks since 1941, during World War II. Castro arranged for his Soviet allies to systematically send him the trucks that, in the opinion of the experts, make up the already deteriorated fleet of the Armed Forces.
Castro arranged for his Soviet allies to systematically send him the trucks that, in the opinion of the experts, make up the already deteriorated fleet of the Armed Forces.
Cuba has, according to observers, old Ural-375, ZIL-131 and other Ural-4320 trucks, but of an earlier model –although quite recent– to those it has now received from Russia. They also have Ukrainian KrAZ-6322 trucks, made after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The model that circulated in eastern Cuba is identical to the one used today by the Russian army for tactical and transport tasks in Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The 4320 series has been manufactured since 1978, for transport, cargo and as tugs. Its automotive traction is 6×6 (three axles and six wheels) and they use the YaMZ-236 (V-6) or 238 (V-8) engine, powered by diesel fuel. The most recent model, however, uses a Ural-375D engine. They can load 5.5 tons of weight.
It is known that, in addition to Cuba, there are several countries that buy Ural-4320 trucks. Russia has also sent them to Angola and Greece, and in Latin America to Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Uruguay.
The Cuban Armed Forces are not usually credited with renewing their weapons and equipment. official data are extremely ambiguous, however, various reports from other countries have revealed that Cuba has routinely requested defensive, riot control, and weapons material from other nations.
In December 2022, a report corresponding to the first semester of that year revealed that the Government of Spain blocked the sale of 2,500 tear gas cartridges and 40 riot control devices with light, sound and smoke, for a combined value of 350,000 euros. The reason for the refusal was the “lack of respect for human rights” on the part of the Government of the Island.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for accompanying us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
