Image: Ralf Hirschberger (dpa central image)
This was announced by the new German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday during his first visit to Kyiv. By the first or second quarter of 2024, at least three battalions from the west should be equipped with such tanks. Pistorius did not say from which European countries besides Germany the Leopard 1 should come.
The visit to Kyiv was the first major trip abroad by the SPD defense minister, who was sworn in almost three weeks ago. For security reasons, the whereabouts were initially kept secret. In addition to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pistorius also met Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. Russia’s war of aggression against the neighboring country has now lasted almost a year.
Delivery in stages
Pistorius said delivery of the Leopard 1 will be done in stages. 20 to 25 tanks should be delivered by the summer, and up to 80 by the end of the year. The aim is to have more than 100 in the course of the first or second quarter of 2024. This means that at least three Ukrainian battalions should be equipped, including the material to be procured for spare parts and ammunition. In addition, the training of 600 sergeants has begun.
The Leopard 1 is the first main battle tank built for the German Army after World War II. 4700 examples were produced from 1965 to the mid-1980s. The Bundeswehr retired its last Leopard 1 20 years ago.
After a lengthy discussion two weeks ago, the German federal government decided to also let Ukraine have more modern Leopard main battle tanks and to allow allies to supply the weapon system developed in Germany. Marder armored personnel carriers and the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system are also to go to Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers are already being trained in Germany.
With the current commitment to deliver the Leopard 1 tanks, he connects “the wish and the great hope that this contribution can also help Ukraine remain defensible and withstand the attack,” said Pistorius. The will of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland is unbroken. “I have my greatest admiration for that,” said the minister at a joint appearance with his Ukrainian colleague Resnikov.
Pistorius emphasized that there should be no doubt that Germany and the other partners in Europe and beyond “will continue to stand firmly by Ukraine’s side in the future and we will continue to support them with everything that is necessary”. According to Pistorius, Ukraine will receive more guided missiles by the end of the month, as well as five Cheetah anti-aircraft tanks and another five Badger engineer tanks. Five Biber tank bridge-laying vehicles would be delivered in March.
When asked about Ukrainian demands for fighter jets, such as the Eurofighter or Tornado, Resnikov said that no specific names or brands had been discussed. Pistorius stressed that the first priority at the moment is to deliver and deploy the Leopard tanks and, above all, to ensure air defense capability in Ukraine.
Pistorius took office on January 19 after his predecessor Christine Lambrecht had asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to be dismissed. He is faced with the task of turning the run-down armed forces back into a broadly combat-capable force. Pistorius, who was previously Minister of the Interior in Lower Saxony, has since sought to be close to the troops during visits and barracks and on training grounds
First delivery from summer at the earliest
As the news magazine “Der Spiegel” reported in a preliminary report on Tuesday, the German Federal Security Council approved the export of a total of 178 Leopard 1 main battle tanks to Ukraine earlier this week. The tanks come from industrial stocks and most of them have to be repaired before they can be sold. In the best-case scenario, the first batch of Leopard 1 tanks should be delivered to Ukraine as early as this summer.
The new license for arms deliveries is to be officially announced in the evening. According to “Spiegel” information, the Chancellery had been negotiating discreetly with the arms industry in recent months to finalize the deal. On the one hand, the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft is now to get around 90 Leopard 1 models that have been stored there for years ready for use and ready for use in the Ukraine.
The second Leopard 1 package comes from Italy. The armament manufacturer Rheinmetall had already secured an option for 88 stored Leopard 1 tanks months ago. Now that an export license for the Ukraine had become apparent, Rheinmetall initiated the purchase of the tanks and will now modernize them. The Federal Government bears the costs for tanks and repairs. The money comes from a pot to strengthen Ukraine.
Industry sources said they could have dozens of Leopard 1 tanks ready for delivery to Ukraine by the summer or fall of that year. However, the majority will probably not be able to be delivered until 2024. It is also possible that there will be a few fewer tanks in the end, because some of the stored tanks will have to be cannibalized for spare parts during the repair.
Leopard retired since 2003
The Bundeswehr finally retired the Leopard 1 tank in 2003 and replaced it with the Leopard 2. The new model, the Leopard 2, is more heavily armed, faster and better armored than its predecessor.
The German government had already confirmed last week that it would allow the delivery of Leopard 1 main battle tanks from industrial stocks, but did not give any figures. The government had also previously decided that it would initially hand over 14 Leopard 2 A6 main battle tanks to Ukraine from the Bundeswehr’s stocks.
Source: Nachrichten
