Some top-ranking Ukrainian officials are publicly discussing attacks on Russian held areas before winter, to limit the invaders' ability to dig in if fighting slows.

It is unclear whether Ukraine will request more heavily armoured Bushmaster troop carriers, and whether Australia will need to order more built at the Thales factory in Bendigo.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conway kept that door open during a visit to the Finn Street factory on Wednesday morning.

"I'm not going to speculate on the needs of Ukraine and its government," he said.

"As Prime Minister [Anthony] Albanese has said, we will listen to their requests when they come forward, if they come forward."

Australia has so far sent or set aside 60 Bushmasters from Defence's existing fleet of more than 1000.

The trucks are built to withstand bomb blasts and have earned high praise from Ukraine's ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko, who visited the Thales factory the day before Mr Conway.

"They are proving to be crucial to our battle plan," Mr Myroshnychenko said.

Even if Ukraine does not launch a counter-offensive before winter it may still need more equipment from Western allies including Australia.

At least one Bushmaster has been destroyed and fighting continues on some frontlines.

On Wednesday alone, Ukraine said it had repelled Russian troops moving towards the city of Avdiyivka north of Donetsk.

Russia suffered heavy losses with some 40 deaths, Ukraine said, though that account could not be independently verified.

Mr Conway said Australia was constantly monitoring the war and "trying to anticipate what might be coming down the pathway".

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said a visit from the minister was a positive sign as Bushmaster deliberations continued.

"Pat knows this project and the importance of it," she said, pointing to visits Mr Conway made during the last Labor government, when then-cabinet minister Greg Combet signed off on plans for Hawkei armoured vehicles.

Those fully armoured vehicles are strong enough to withstand bomb blasts but small enough to be carried by Chinook helicopters.

Ms Chesters has previously mooted the potential for Hawkeis to be sent to Ukraine, though that country has in the past specifically asked for the larger Bushmasters.

A number of Hawkeis remain on Thales' factory lawns under tarps on Wednesday, a month after Defence signed off on a solution to a brakes issue.

"My understanding is that the brakes system has been resolved," Mr Conway said.

Hawkeis still on site are awaiting work on other Defence projects including a computer system that would one day help with military command and control.

"Integrating vehicles with their command and control systems is very important," he said.

"We are working through that with Defence but we anticipate that will happen."

The computer system is part of a project replacing analogue voice and paper-based communications during operations on land.

Defence wants digital systems it can use to make battlefield decisions faster.

- With Australian Associated Press