Skip to content
Edit post

Der Spiegel: German arms manufacturer in talks about building tank plant in Ukraine

by The Kyiv Independent news desk March 4, 2023 11:00 AM 1 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall is in talks with Ukrainian officials about building a tank plant in Ukraine, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on March 4.

Estimated to cost around 200 million euros, the plant could produce up to 400 Panther main battle tanks per year.

The Panther is a new concept tank model based on the Leopard-2 tank, which could provide Ukraine with a significant equipment advantage as both Ukraine and Russia currently rely on Soviet-designed tanks.

“Ukraine needs 600 to 800 tanks for a victory,” said Armin Papperger, the head of Rheinmetall.

“Even if Germany gave up all 300 Leopard 2 tanks available to the Bundeswehr, that would still be far too few."

Papperger described the negotiations with the Ukrainian government as "promising" and hoped for a decision within the next two months.

On Jan. 25, Germany agreed to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allowed the re-export of the same models from other countries.

Ukraine hopes to receive up to two brigades of tanks, on top of many infantry vehicles from Western allies. However, the West may not be able to supply two full battalions of Leopard 2 tanks as they previously promised, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Feb. 15, according to Bloomberg.

Can Ukraine maintain and optimally use its modern Western tanks?

News Feed

8:43 PM

These Ukrainian women down Russian drones.

The Kyiv Independent joined one such unit that refers to themselves as the Witches of Bucha, after a suburb in Kyiv Oblast where they are based. Since all of them are volunteers, these women combine their combat duties with civilian lives.
5:28 PM

Ukrainian Defense Ministry's chief inspector fired.

The Main Inspectorate of the Defense Ministry audits the ministry's activities, including monitoring the quality of military training and staffing, overseeing military aviation safety, and conducting technical investigations, among other functions.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.