The 18 Leopard 2 A6 main battle tanks promised by the Federal Republic of Germany were loaded yesterday morning in Bergen and arrived in the Ukraine in the evening together with the crews trained in Munster. As reported by the BMVg, the train transport included not only the 18 main battle tanks but also two Buffalo armored recovery vehicles as well as the ammunition and spare parts package.
The 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles that the German government had promised Ukraine in January have also arrived in Ukraine. Germany has thus fulfilled the promise made to equip and train armored units for the Ukraine, writes the BMVg.
Defense Minister Pistorius said: “As promised, our tanks arrived on time in the hands of our Ukrainian friends. I am sure that they can do something important at the front! Together with Sweden and Portugal we have pledged a battle group. To redeem this, Germany even delivered four more tanks than initially planned. You can rely on us!”
The next step is the delivery of Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks. These combat vehicles from industrial stocks are currently being repaired in the industry. As far as is known, the hulls in Flensburg and the towers in Munich will be cleaned and overhauled. After the work is completed, the tanks are brought together in Flensburg and shipped from there. Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands have joined forces to finance the project.
According to the BMVg, the aim is to have the first Leopard 1 A5 available by summer. The plan is to increase the number to around 80 by the end of the year and to at least 100 Leopard 1 A5s in the course of 2024.
The delivery of German-made armored personnel carriers and main battle tanks to Ukraine has long been controversial. Chancellor Olaf Scholz only decided to allow martens and later also leopards to be handed over after consulting with US President Joe Biden and his agreement to hand over Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Abrams main battle tanks to the Ukraine.
A "tank alliance" has formed for the Leopard 2, which intends to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions with the main battle tanks (ESuTreported). Under the leadership of Germany, a battalion is to be equipped with Leopard 2 A6 and A5. The tanks required for this come from Germany (18 A6), Portugal (three A6) and Sweden (ten A5). The second battalion, led by Poland, is to be equipped with Leopard 2 A4s. Suppliers are Poland (14), Canada (eight), Norway (eight) and Spain (six). The first 14 main battle tanks and the trained crews have already been made available to Ukraine.
Within just two months, Germany and Poland have provided the equipment for more than two tank companies of the Ukrainian army and the crews trained to fight back against Russian aggression. The others are to follow later this year.
Gerhard Heiming
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