The German defense concern Rheinmetall is preparing to supply Ukraine not only with armored personnel carriers, but also with the main Leopard 1 battle tanks. This information, citing CEO Armin Papperger, reports Handelsblatt.
In total, it is about the supply of up to 50 used Leopard 1 tanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (previously it was reported that the warehouses of German defense concerns have about 100 units of decommissioned Leopard 1A5 tanks).
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It is noted that the technical condition of these armored vehicles is being checked - according to Papperger, the first Leopard Ukraine can receive in six weeks, in general the whole batch is planned to be transferred within three months. However CEO also notes that the company must first receive a "green light" from the federal Government of Germany.
The journal also emphasizes that German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbok during a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg stressed that Ukraine needs more military equipment, including heavy weapons: "Now is not the time for excuses, now is the time for creativity and pragmatism."
Earlier, Defense Express reported that Ukraine and Germany are negotiating the supply of heavy weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was about a purchase of 100 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers.
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