BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th February, 2023) The previously announced 14 Leopard 2 tanks will be supplied to Ukraine by the end of March, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during his visit to Kiev.
"I can confirm Germany's promise that our 14 Leopard 2A6s will be supplied by the end of March. Training will start soon," Pistorius told Bild.
The minister also said he had personally gotten acquainted with the Ukrainian crews who would get the tanks and soon go to Germany for training.
Pistorius' working trip to Ukraine was not announced. According to media reports, on Wednesday he was supposed to arrive in Poland. Later, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov published a joint photo with his German counterpart and a Leopard 2 toy tank.
Earlier, Pistorius announced an agreement with several European countries on joint deliveries of 20-25 Leopard A1 tanks by the summer and more than 100 by the start of 2024.
Overall, Germany plans to supply Ukraine with 178 Leopard tanks of the first generation and 14 Leopard 2A6s.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 in response to calls by the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection from Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine, and to completely liberate Donbas.
Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo that contains weaponry for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.
