The German government has approved the supply of Leopard 1 main battle tanks to Ukraine. A total of 88 tanks from the Rheinmetall Group and 99 tanks from Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft have been approved for export, Business Insider reported.
It is noted that the official figures will be released on Tuesday.
At the same time, the publication’s sources in the German government say, funding for tank repairs has not yet been secured. It should be definitively clarified only in the next few weeks.
In addition, the first tanks are not expected to be delivered until the middle of this year. The exact number of them has not yet been established, insiders say, it also depends on funding. It is also unclear whether all 187 Leopard 1s will eventually be combat-ready, or whether many of the tanks will have to be used as spare parts depots.
Furthermore, private conversations within the government also point out that the military and strategic significance of tank delivery is not so much in the vehicles themselves, but in the change in the ammunition used. The Leopard tanks use the NATO standard 105mm caliber, which means a much better supply of ammunition for Ukraine, as it cannot produce ammunition for its old Soviet tanks itself. In the long run, this could increase the resilience of the Ukrainian army.
