Germany delivers over 20 Leopard 1 tanks, Gepard anti-aircraft guns, other aid to Ukraine
Berlin has handed over 22 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, 61,000 155 mm rounds of ammunition, three Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with spare parts, and other equipment in its latest delivery of military aid to Ukraine, the German government said on Sept. 19.
The tranche also included five Bandvagn 206 all-terrain vehicles, two air surveillance TRML-4D radars, and an all-terrain tracked carrier Warthog, as well as 112 vehicles from Bundeswehr and industry stocks.
Ukraine received 30 Vector drones, 20 Heidrun RQ-35 reconnaissance drones, 12 Songbird drones, six Hornet XR drones, and 20 naval drones.
Berlin further delivered three Beaver bridge-laying tanks with spare parts, a Dachs armored engineer vehicle with spare parts, and six Wisent 1 mine-clearing tanks.
The 22 Leopard 1 A5 tanks with spare parts were delivered under a joint initiative with Denmark.
Initially a hesitant partner, Berlin became Ukraine's second-largest military donor after the U.S., although German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is still reluctant to supply some key capabilities, namely Taurus long-range missiles.
According to an agreed-upon federal budget, Germany's military aid to Ukraine will be cut by half next year when compared to 2024. Berlin has allocated around 8 billion euros ($8.7 billion) to Kyiv in 2024, whereas the next year's support is currently set at 4 billion euros ($4.35 billion).
Kateryna Denisova
