Ukraine will receive the first Gepard tanks from Germany in July
In a few weeks, the German government will provide the Ukrainian government with 15 tanks, ammunition and training opportunities. The dpa reports after talks between the defense ministers of both countries.
In July, Ukraine will receive the first 15 Gepard anti-aircraft gun tanks from German industry stocks. This is the result of a conversation between Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) and her Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Resnikov on Friday, as the German Press Agency in Berlin learned. The package also includes training support from the Bundeswehr, the provision of almost 60,000 rounds of ammunition and the delivery of a further 15 tanks in the summer.
“I spoke to my Ukrainian colleague Resnikov today, and he once again expressly confirmed that Ukraine would like the fastest possible delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, including the 59,000 rounds of ammunition available, from Germany,” Lambrecht said after the video link with Resnikov. This particularly emphasized the performance of the system.
The first Ukrainian teams should be trained in July
“I expressly welcome this clear decision. The cheetah is an effective weapon that also has a significant deterrent effect – for example to protect critical infrastructure,” said Lambrecht. “We are now working together to ensure that the first 15 cheetahs will be ready for action from mid-July with fully trained crews.”
After a struggle for the delivery of heavy weapons, the manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann had received the political green light from the federal government to sell the technically refurbished anti-aircraft tanks from former Bundeswehr stocks.
Suitable for anti-aircraft and ground defense
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has a middle two-digit number from the disbanded army air defense of the Bundeswehr – we are talking about a total of 50 pieces. The cheetah can also be used in combat against ground targets.
