The Swiss authorities said that they rejected a request by arms manufacturing company Ruag AG for permission to sell nearly a hundred Leopard 1 A5 tanks to Germany for their subsequent transfer to Ukraine.
“The Federal Council on June 28 rejected a request from Ruag AG concerning the export of 96 Leopard 1 A5 tanks destined for Ukraine, as it is contrary to current legislation,” the Swiss Federal Council said in a statement issued Wednesday.
The council explained that such a sale would violate Swiss law in force. In addition, the deal “would violate Switzerland’s position on neutrality.”
Ruag AG submitted an export request to the authorities on June 27 for the resale of 96 used and inoperable Leopard 1 A5 tanks. The tanks are currently in storage in Italy and need to be repaired in Germany before being shipped elsewhere.
The Leopard 1 was the main battle tank of the FRG until the 1980s. It was produced from 1965 to 1984 and was in service with the Federal Republic of Germany until 2010. More than a dozen countries still have it in their armed forces, including Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Italy, Chile, Australia and Canada; the tank is continuously upgraded. Totally more than 4.7 thousand tanks of this model were produced. The tank is equipped with a 105mm rifled gun with a load of 60 rounds. The tank is equipped with optical stereoscopic rangefinder, binocular, monocular with night channel and telescopic sights. Speed of the Leopard 1 on a highway is 62 km/h, range – 600 km.
Poland has sent 14 MiG-29 fighter jets and 325 tanks to Ukraine, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU has reported.
“Out of 575 tanks delivered to Ukraine so far, 325 have been transferred by Poland. The Netherlands ranks second (85), Germany third (80) and the United States fourth (76). In addition, out of the 28 aircraft transferred to Kyiv so far, Poland has sent 14 MiG-29 fighters,” the post on Twitter reads.
On May 8, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced the dispatch of MiG-29 fighters.
In April, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Warsaw would be able to supply Kyiv with a total of 14 MiG-29 fighters.
The MiG-29 is a fourth-generation Soviet and Russian multi-role fighter developed in the 1970s. It is designed to destroy air targets with guided missiles and an onboard cannon and to engage ground targets with unguided munitions. It has numerous modifications. The aircraft is operated by more than 20 countries.
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.
Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram on Wednesday announced Oslo’s intention to send German-made tanks to Ukraine, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported.
“Norway will send German tanks to Ukraine as part of the Western countries’ decision to supply weapons,” NRK quoted the minister as saying.
The head of the Defense Ministry did not specify how many tanks he was talking about.
Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced the decision to send Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks.
It also became known that the German authorities decided to transfer the first batch of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. At the same time, German authorities will give their allies permission to supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, during which he discussed cooperation in the process of strengthening the Ukrainian air defense system.
“Had a long and detailed conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the current situation,” Zelensky tweeted.
The head of state said that during the conversation he thanked Macron “for the decision to transfer light tanks and Bastion armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, as well as the intensification of work with partners in the same direction.”
The Ukrainian president stressed that during the conversation the interlocutors also agreed on further cooperation in the process of “significant strengthening” of the Ukrainian air defense system and other defense capabilities.
“We also agreed to work on the implementation of the Peace Formula,” Zelensky concluded.
Germany will supply Ukraine with 16 Biber bridge-laying tanks, the German Ministry of Defense has reported.
“We continue to support! To further support the ground forces of Ukraine, Minister Lambrecht has decided to deliver a batch of 16 Biber armored bridge layers. They can be used to overcome water or other obstacles in battle,” the ministry said on Twitter on Friday.
