Germany has reportedly placed a confidential order for over 1,000 Mercedes-Benz Zetros military trucks to bolster Ukraine’s logistics and transport capacity, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). The deal, said to involve Daimler Truck, expands upon the 340 Zetros vehicles already supplied since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While neither Berlin nor Daimler has publicly confirmed the order, FAZ noted that the purchase was likely funded under Germany’s military aid program for Kyiv and is valued at hundreds of millions of euros — one of the largest vehicle procurements under the classified initiative. Deliveries are expected to begin progressively as production increases.
Built by Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, the Zetros is a heavy-duty off-road vehicle optimized for challenging conditions. It can transport fuel, equipment, and troops, or evacuate casualties from combat zones. The truck, with a payload capacity of up to 25 tons (55,116 lbs), is in service with over ten countries and is being modernized for drone-threat environments, FAZ reported. Available in 4×2 to 8×8 variants, the Zetros features up to 510 hp via an Allison 4500SP diesel engine, meeting Euro III or Euro V emission standards and offering automatic, manual, or hybrid transmissions.
