Germany's Green Party: Ukraine's Leopard tanks in need of urgent repair
Out of the 18 Leopard 2A6 tanks supplied by Germany to Ukraine, only a small portion remains combat-ready, said Sebastian Schäfer, the Green Party budget expert, calling for immediate measures to repair them. "Unfortunately, it must be noted that only a very small portion of the tanks supplied to Ukraine remains suitable for combat. The repair process takes a long time because there is a shortage of components at the repair plant in Lithuania," the dpa agency quoted Schäfer's letter sent to defense concerns Rheinmetall and KMW at the end of 2023.
Schäfer, together with the German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius, visited the factory in Lithuania before Christmas. "There is an urgent need to take measures to improve the spare parts situation," emphasized Schäfer in his message.
He also noted that attempts by the Ukrainian army to repair the Leopards themselves only led to further damage. Sebastian Schäfer suggested studying how to prevent such breakdowns by improving mechanic training, supplying instructions, or repairing tanks on Ukrainian territory.
The German government handed over 18 Leopard 2 tanks from the Bundeswehr's arsenal to Ukraine in March after much deliberation. This equipment was provided to Kyiv as part of a program to assist in countering Russian aggression. Almost all of the Leopards supplied to Ukraine now suffer from battle damage and heavy wear from intense shooting and driving.