The Australian authorities have decided to dispose of the decommissioned MRH-90 Taipan helicopters requested by Ukraine to be handed over, ABC reports.

A representative of the Ministry of Defense told reporters that Australia will "dispose of the remaining airframes and systems in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner." The decommissioned Taipans will replace 40 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters made in the United States.

The MRH-90 Taipan was withdrawn from service in September 2023, 14 months ahead of schedule, after four servicemen crashed during a training exercise two months earlier.

Ukraine submitted an official request for the MRH-90 on December 19, 2023, the ABC reports.

Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko said he "hopes that there is still an opportunity... because we have not received any response yet."

"The Russian Federation has complete air superiority over Ukraine, and these 45 Taipan helicopters could be on the Ukrainian front line, they would greatly help Ukrainians in the fight for freedom and democracy," commented Kateryna Argyrou, co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations.