18 German Leopard 2 tanks have arrived in Ukraine, Radio Liberty reports, citing Spiegel.
Earlier, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that in March Ukraine would receive 21 Leopard 2 tanks in the A6 modification. According to him, 18 tanks will be shipped from Germany and three more from Portugal.
The Leopard 2 is the main battle tank of the German army and is also in service in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Greece, and Finland. It has been in service since 1979 and has undergone many modifications, with a total production run of over 3,600 units. There are two main versions of the tank: Leopard 2A4 and the upgraded Leopard 2A5.
Since 2001, at least 225 tanks have been upgraded to the A6 variant: this modification has received reinforced turret armour and additional mine protection, a new gun with an extended barrel length, which has increased the armour penetration and range of the tank's shells. The weight of the tank has increased to 62 tonnes.
On 13 March, the Ukrainian military finished training on Leopard 2 tanks in Germany.
The training included exercises on a simulator, combat training in the field and live-fire exercises. And at the end of the training, there was live firing. The equipment also underwent the necessary preparation.