The German defence ministry has announced that it sent the first shipment of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Ukrainian crews received training to operate the 18 advanced main battle tanks that were delivered. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius expressed confidence that the tanks could play a decisive role on the frontlines of the war.
Reports indicate that Challenger 2 tanks from the UK have also arrived in Ukraine. For months, Ukraine has been requesting more modern vehicles and weapons systems to aid in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
Although the Ukrainian government has not commented on the Leopard 2s’ arrival, they have confirmed the arrival of the first Challenger 2 tanks made in the UK.
Initially, Germany was hesitant to supply the tanks to Ukraine or even allow other countries to do so, but it agreed to do so in January. Berlin must authorize the re-export of Leopard 2s by any country under German law.
Statement from German Defence Minister
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated that they delivered the tanks to the Ukrainian military on time, as promised.
In the past few weeks, the German army has been training Ukrainian tank crews on operating the advanced A6 variant of the Leopard 2. The designers specifically developed the Leopard 2 to compete with the Russian T-90 main battle tank, and many consider it to be more fuel-efficient and easier to maintain than most other Western tanks.. In addition to the Leopard 2s, Germany has also provided Ukraine with two specialist tank-recovery vehicles and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
Meanwhile, according to defence ministry spokeswoman Iryna Zolotar, Challenger 2 tanks from the UK have already arrived in Ukraine.
Ukraine war – Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov posted a picture of a Challenger 2 alongside other Western-made military vehicles on his Facebook page, describing the British vehicle as a work of military art. The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment but previously confirmed that Ukrainian tank crews who had been training in Britain had returned home after completing their training with the tanks.
