Germany may transfer up to 15 Leopard tanks to Ukraine this year - media

This was reported to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung by sources in the defense sector.

In particular, it is noted that the sources said that the delivery is possible as early as October or November 2023, but only if orders are placed immediately. If everything possible is done after the German government's decision, they added, it will be possible to deliver one Leopard 2 per week starting in the third quarter.

In addition, the publication also learned that Germany is currently considering supplying Ukraine with 29 more Leopard 2 tanks, which are currently destined for Slovakia and the Czech Republic. However, the governments in Prague and Bratislava would have to agree to this redistribution. Slovakia and the Czech Republic could then receive about three tanks per month from the beginning of 2024 instead of this year's deliveries.

Also, according to sources, German arms companies Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann may supply additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Fuchs armored personnel carriers, and older Leopard 1 battle tanks by the end of the year. The companies currently have 88 decommissioned Leopard 1A5s, of which 80 can still be repaired. The publication adds that 20 of these tanks could be ready "in eight months from the date of order".

As for the 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles that the German government has already promised Ukraine, the publication's sources say that twenty of them could be delivered by the end of April. The rest should come from Bundeswehr warehouses. After that, if an order is placed, ten units per month could be delivered starting in July.

In addition, the publication notes that Ukraine may receive 40 newly manufactured Fuchs armored personnel carriers from the middle of the year.

• Poland is ready to provide Ukraine with 14 Leopard tanks and hopes that other NATO countries will follow and manage to assemble at least an armoured brigade.
• Germany may decide to provide Ukraine with Leopards as early as this week.
• Finland has stated that it could provide tanks to Ukraine if other countries do so first and a corresponding project to help Ukraine is launched at the European level. Yesterday, on January 17, the country confirmed its readiness to participate in a coalition of countries that will provide tanks to Ukraine.