Ukraine - Leopard 2
There was no great political will, especially in Europe. A simple example: the EU countries had about 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks in service, but Ukraine has received only 71. And this is despite the fact that the EU publicly emphasizes: "Ukraine is fighting not only for its freedom, but also for our strategic security." Instead, Brussels says that Europe will not be able to replace US support for Ukraine.
The Ukraine Ministry of Defense adopted three modifications of the Leopard tanks. The Ministry of Defense adopted the next models of armored vehicles for the Armed Forces - the Leopard 2A6, Leopard 2A5 and Leopard 1A5 tanks. The corresponding orders were signed by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umyerov. Ukraine received these tanks from Western partners, and they have proven themselves effectively in battles. By the fact that the ministry is adopting these tanks, we are declaring our long-term intention to have modern and high-tech weapons. "Leopard" tanks of modifications 2A6, 2A5 and 1A5 are intended for breaking through fortified positions of the enemy, destroying firing points, equipment and manpower of the enemy, and quickly organizing defensive lines.
German-made Leopard 2 tanks that the West is supplying to Ukraine have proven inefficient on the frontline due to technical flaws, said adviser to the Russian-installed head of the Russian-annexed Ukrainian region of Donetsk. “[Leopard 2] tanks have proven their inefficiency. They lack maneuverability, have a large weight, a weak cross-country capability, especially in the mud period, and quite a vulnerable hull,” adviser Yan Gagin said as cited by state news agency TASS 31 October 2023.
He added: “This tank cannot be repaired in the fields and can be only pulled away from a battlefield into a repair area where specially trained personnel must carry out its maintenance using the entire required repair equipment.” The aide to senior Russian-installed official Denis Pushilin added: “Ukrainian servicemen perish both in operations as Leopard 2 crews and in attempts to evacuate the armor from the battlefield.”
The German Leopard 2 tank is one of the world’s most highly advanced battle tanks known for its firepower, protection, and mobility. It’s praised for its exceptional armor, powerful guns, and advanced technological systems. Its modular composite armor provides superior defense, while its advanced suspension enables excellent maneuverability.
Military assistance to Ukraine previously announced by Spain will be a record one and amount to 1.129 billion euros - El Pais reported 25 May 2024. The Spanish newspaper reports this with reference to its sources familiar with the process. The publication specified that this package of military assistance will include 19 Leopard 2A4 tanks , as well as missiles for the Patriot air defense system and other ammunition produced in Spain, as previously reported. The Leopard 2 tanks stored in Spain were in such a poor condition that the original plans for the delivery of 53 vehicles had to be cut down to just 10, delivered in two batches. The remaining tanks were sent for lengthy repairs and only now will be gradually transferred to Ukraine.
Denmark and the Netherlands will finance the delivery of another 14 Leopard 2 tanks manufactured by the German company Rheinmetall to Ukraine. This was reported on 15 June 2023 by the newspaper Handelsblatt , citing sources in NATO. It was expected that the first tanks from this batch will be delivered to Ukraine in early 2024. No significant details are given. The defense concern did not comment on this information.
On 25 January 2023, the German Cabinet confirmed that it would send Ukraine 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its stocks and issue permission to other countries to re-export these vehicles. On February 7, the government approved the delivery of 178 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Kyiv.
On June 10, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had lost 9 tanks in the South-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions in a day, of which there were 4 Leopards, 11 infantry fighting vehicles, including American Bradleys.
The 18 Leopard 2 battle tanks pledged by Germany to support Ukraine have arrived, a security source told the Reuters news agency 27 March 2023, confirming a report by Spiegel news magazine. Besides the 18 main battle tanks, 40 German Marder infantry fighting vehicles and two armoured recovery vehicles have also reached Ukraine, the security source said. The German army trained the Ukrainian tank crews and the soldiers assigned to operate the Marder vehicles for several weeks. Beyond the German vehicles, three Leopard tanks donated by Portugal have also reached Ukraine, according to the security source.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had destroyed a total of seven German Leopard tanks in several separate clashes, along with some other heavy armor and infantry fighting vehicles. Ukraine needs significantly more German armor amid intense fighting with Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Melnik claimed in an interview published on Sunday. The request came after Moscow claimed it had destroyed several German-made Leopard tanks while repelling repeated attempts by Kiev to breach Russian lines.
“The Ukrainian Army most urgently needs many more Western battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other armor,” he said, adding that “every Leopard 2 is literally worth its weight in gold for the decisive offensive.” He suggested that the German military could spare many more than the 18 Leopard 2 vehicles it has reportedly delivered to Ukraine, noting that Berlin has more than 300 such in its arsenal. The number of Leopards provided could be “tripled without endangering Germany’s ability to defend itself,” the deputy foreign minister claimed.
The first proven damaged tank as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia was reported 18 April 2023. However, the German Leopard did not lose a battle at the front but lost the battle with the Ukrainian crew on the training ground somewhere in Europe. The first proven damaged tank as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia is now a fact. However, the German Leopard did not lose a battle at the front but lost the battle with the Ukrainian crew on the training ground somewhere in Europe. It is not known how the Ukrainian crew managed to separate the turret, along with the main gun and secondary armament, plus all the control systems from the chassis of the tank. The photos are not so shocking because, in principle, similar incidents are possible. But it’s rare to see a separate turret from the chassis of a tank that hasn’t seen combat. The tank crew is fine. However, how this incident happened is anyone’s guess
Following weeks of pressure from Ukraine and other allies, Berlin finally agreed 25 January 2023 to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks, seen as among the best in the world. The move opened the way for other European nations that operate Leopards to send tanks from their own fleets to Ukraine.
The long-awaited decision on whether allies would send German-made heavy tanks to Ukraine was finally reached in Berlin, after Poland said it had formally sent its request 24 January 2023. U.S. officials said Washington was also moving towards supplying some of its tanks to Kyiv.
More than 40% of German residents oppose the supply of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Kiev, according to the results of a poll conducted by the YouGov sociological institute commissioned by the DPA agency, published on 19 January 2023. The survey, which was conducted from 13 to 18 January, was attended by 2,025 people. 43% of respondents were against the supply of Leopard 2, only 39% support such a decision. Another 16% of the study participants refused to express their opinion on this issue.
Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Germany had already supplied Kyiv with weapons and military equipment worth more than €2.2 billion. Every third respondent (33%) believes that this is too much, 24% believe that the volume of supplies is sufficient. Another 25% of the study participants call for increased military support for Ukraine from Germany.
Twelve countries agree to supply about 100 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if Germany, in turn, gives its permission for re-export. This was announced by the ABC TV channel, citing a Ukrainian official. According to him, 12 countries have given their consent at the base of the US Armed Forces Ramstein in Germany. Poland and Finland publicly announced their intention to supply tanks to Kyiv. According to the source, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands were also among those ready to send tanks to Ukraine.
The German defense concern Rheinmetall can send a total of 139 Leopard tanks to Ukraine. "We have 22 Leopard 2A4 [combat] vehicles that we could prepare for operation and send to Ukraine," a spokesman for the concern said in an interview published on 24 January 2023 with the editorial association Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland . "The repair of these vehicles will take almost a year. Delivery is possible at the end 2023 - early 2024. There are 29 more [combat vehicles of the type] Leopard 2A4, <...> which will be ready for shipment as early as April-May 2023."
On 20 January 2024, a regular meeting of defense ministers of about 50 countries was held at the American Ramstein airbase in Germany, at which further assistance to Kyiv was discussed. Based on its results, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on the Phoenix TV channel that the participants had not yet made any decision on the supply of German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. He also noted that there was no close-knit coalition interested in the mandatory supply of Leopard to Kyiv, but did not rule out that such a decision could be made "in the coming days."
Tino Khrupalla, co-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, sharply criticized the decision of the German authorities to supply Kyiv with Leopard 2 battle tanks, calling it "irresponsible and dangerous." "Germany risks being drawn directly into the war. Our armed forces continue to be ruined due to the supply of tanks from the Bundeswehr stocks," Khrupalla said.
The chairman of the Left Party (LP) faction in the Bundestag, Dietmar Barch, sharply criticized the decision of the German authorities to supply Kyiv with Leopard 2 tanks, noting that it potentially brings the world closer to a third world war. "The delivery of Leopard battle tanks, which breaks another taboo, potentially brings us closer to a third world war, not to peace in Europe," Burch told DPA. He called this step of the German government dangerous. "The decision to further turn Germany towards war does not have the [support] of the majority of the population," the politician stressed. The delivery of the Leopards, he said, is "a prelude to a possible slide into disaster."
Germany’s chancellor, known to be careful and stubborn, was reluctant to greenlight tanks, but few understppd his motives. Germany was one of the largest donors of military hardware to Ukraine, but over 11 months of war, Berlin had only stepped up deliveries under pressure and only after other allies made the first move.
- Germany has been reluctant to provide the tanks to Ukraine because of the anti-militarism position it adopted after World War II. Ever since the end of Nazi Germany in World War II, successive German leaders have maintained a pacifist approach, adopting peace-oriented postures and avoiding military buildups. The Social Democrat Party is less hawkish on Russia and more adverse to Germany flexing its military power. The SPD had long favored practical relations with Russia and remains proud of its legacy of Ostpolitik, under which Chancellor Willy Brandt sought more open relations with East Germany and the Soviet Union.
- The decision does not have the support of the majority of the population. A DeutschlandTrend poll found that 46 percent of Germans support sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, 43 percent were opposed, and 11 percent were undecided. Support was lowest among young people and those living in states that were formerly part of East Germany. Another poll by Forsa found 54 percent supported allowing the re-export of Leopards from other countries to Ukraine, but 58 percent were against those tanks being used to recapture Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014.
- Although Germany is one of the world’s largest arms exporters, the country has a conflicted view of itself as a military power. Pacifism is common, and many believe Germany should play a mediating, diplomatic role in international affairs. There was particular discomfort in sending weapons to regions of Eastern Europe that were invaded by Germany during World War II.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has time and again expressed fear that the tanks could be seen as a sign of Berlin escalating the conflict. Russia has warned of an “extremely dangerous” escalation if NATO were to deploy high-tech weapons. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior security official, warned the West’s continued support for Ukraine could lead to nuclear war. The fear of Russia following through with its nuclear threats if Western states increase their military involvement is taken seriously by many in the SPD, including Scholz, who had raised the issue several times in recent months.
- Germany had resisted supplying Ukraine with battle tanks, saying such units should only be provided to Kyiv if there is agreement among its main allies, particularly the United States.Germany insisted that the US should take the lead and supply the American-made M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The US operates thousands of M1 Abrams tanks built by General Dynamics, but they were seen as unsuitable for Ukraine as they are driven by gas turbine engines.
Ukraine said “global indecision” was “killing more of our people”, after Germany stalled on the decision whether to supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks to strengthen Kyiv’s fighting capacity against Russia. “Today’s indecision is killing more of our people,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote. “Every day of delay is the death of Ukrainians. Think faster,” he said.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia issued a joint statement calling on Germany to deliver the tanks to Ukraine. "This is needed to stop Russian aggression, help Ukraine and restore peace in Europe quickly. Germany as the leading European power has special responsibility in this regard," said the statement.
"History is looking at us and Germany has, unfortunately, just failed," Strack-Zimmermann told public broadcaster ZDF. "At the very least, it would have been the right thing to give our partners the green light," she added, referring to the desire by countries like Poland to supply the Leopard directly to Ukraine — a move that needs a sign-off by Berlin. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the German parliament's defense committee, made the comments after Western leaders failed to reach a consensus on supplying German-made Leopard-2 tanks during talks in Ramstein, Germany.Roderich Kiesewetter, the foreign affairs expert of the center-right Christian Democratic Party (CDU), spoke of serious foreign policy damage for Germany due to the lack of a decision. "Germany has done a disservice to Ukraine and its own future position," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. Kiesewetter said he was left speechless that Berlin has only just ordered an inventory of tanks in the Bundeswehr, saying that doing this a year after Russia's war in Ukraine broke out was "embarrassing and frightening."
Poland's prime minister lashed out at Germany's failure to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Berlin has been hesitant to send the heavy-duty tanks or allow other nations to transfer them to Kyiv. "Germany's attitude is unacceptable. It has been almost a year since the war began. Innocent people are dying every day," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the PAP agency on January 22.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeev continued the course of his predecessor, famous for scandalous statements by Andriy Melnyk, urging the German government to allow the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Kyiv as soon as possible. "We need German tanks right now," Makeyev told DPA on 21 January 2023. "We don't have time to think, reflect and hesitate. What we need is to make decisions, educate and coordinate our actions. Immediately," he argued.
At the same time, the diplomat expressed disappointment with the results of the meeting of Western defense ministers held on Friday at the US Ramstein base. "I must be honest, we expected much more from our German partners," Makeev said. He considers it necessary "for the training of the Ukrainian military to begin as soon as possible and for Germany to allow other countries to supply tanks" to Kyiv.
Germany said 20 January 2023 that no decision had been made on providing battle tanks sought by Kyiv, despite an emotional plea from President Volodymyr Zelensky. Western defence ministers had gathered at Ramstein Air Base in Germany for a crucial US-led meeting to hammer out future military aid to Ukraine.
For Alexey Yusupov, director of the Russia Program at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Berlin, this is in part due to Germany's "reluctance to escalate too quickly" . The US doesn't want Ukraine to "squander its limited forces" and wants to "ensure it's in the best pesition in terms of defence". On the ground in Kyiv, on social media, there is a degree of "shock and strong condemnations" against Germany.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that supplying tanks to Kyiv would "change nothing" on the ground. "We see a growing indirect and sometimes direct involvement of NATO countries in this conflict," Peskov added. "We see a devotion to the dramatic delusion that Ukraine can succeed on the battlefield. This is a dramatic delusion of the Western community that will more than once be cause for regret – we are sure of that."
German government sources said Berlin would move on the Leopard tanks issue if Washington agreed to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine. But Germany's new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he did not know of any requirement that Ukraine receive US and German tanks simultaneously. "I'm not aware of any such stipulation," Pistorius told German ARD television when asked if that meant Abrams and Leopards had to be delivered at the same time.
The German Bundestag did not vote on the issue of providing Ukraine with Leopard 2 combat tanks. This is stated in a message published on 19 January 2023 on the website of the parliament. Such a vote was proposed by the opposition CDU / CSU bloc. Representatives of the ruling coalition, which includes the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), by a majority vote insisted that the issue be considered later in the foreign affairs committee. Also, the proposal of the conservatives was not supported by other opposition parties - "Alternative for Germany" and the left. Even if the vote had taken place and the proposal had been approved, it would have been advisory in nature. The issue of providing military equipment is the responsibility of the German government.
Poland is ready to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine that Kyiv requested, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced 11 January 2023 on a visit to the eastern Ukrainian city of Lviv. Warsaw is willing to deliver the tanks "within the framework of an international coalition", Duda said after meeting his Ukrainian and Lithuanian counterparts. Germany, which makes the Leopard tanks, has so far resisted pressure from Kyiv to deliver the armoured vehicles.
Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said 10 January 2023 that Berlin needs to supply his military with Leopard tanks during a visit from German counterpart Annalena Baerbock to war-battered eastern Kharkiv. “The longer it takes to make the decision, the more people will die. The sooner this decision is made, the sooner this war will end with Ukraine’s victory and there will be no more war in Europe,” Kuleba told reporters during a news conference in Kharkiv with Baerbock.
In an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media outlet on 23 December 2022, Ukraine's deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, called on Germany to supply Kyiv with its Leopard main battle tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle.
Germany and the United States will send armored vehicles to Ukraine, the leaders of the two countries said in a joint statement 05 January 2023. The announcement came after a phone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Joe Biden.Earlier France announced that it would be sending "light tanks." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked for the vehicles to significantly increase his military's firepower in the ongoing war with Russia. The US would provide Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, while Germany would supply Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles, the two nations said.
German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said around 40 Marders would be sent, or enough to equip a battalion. "These 40 vehicles are to be ready in the first quarter so that they can then be handed over to Ukraine," he said, adding that training for Ukrainian soldiers to use the vehicles would be provided in Germany.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would not unilaterally deliver tanks to Ukraine without support from other countries in Europe. It's still a taboo for the German government to see German tanks back on the battlefields of World War II. This is German history.
In March 2022, Kyiv requested 88 Leopard 1 tanks and 100 Marder-type IFVs from German industry. The US could send Abrams, but the Leopard 2 makes the most sense for Ukraine given that it is the primary tank used in Europe; logistically easier to send, easier to send back for repairs in neighboring countries too, etc.
Despite the arms deliveries to Kyiv, Scholz did not want to completely break off talks with the Kremlin. The German head of government feared Russia's President Vladimir Putin could use tactical nuclear weapons to prevent an imminent military defeat. Scholz would like to see the conflict end with a political solution that all parties — including Moscow — can live with.
Ukraine lacked the equipment to successfully carry out counterattacks, especially in the vast, spacious grassland region. That is why Ukraine is looking for so much help with battle tanks and armored personnel carriers. Ukraine had been calling for Western tanks to use in its fight against the Russian attackers for months.
The surrender of military equipment from Bundeswehr stocks is only possible if there are no permanent capability gaps for the main task of the armed forces - the defense of the country and the alliance. In order to be able to equip the Ukrainian armed forces with the necessary weapon systems as quickly as possible, the instrument of ring exchange [ringtausch] is used.
For months, the phrase "ring exchange" was practically the motto of German policy on Ukraine, becoming synonymous with hesitation and half-heartedness. The idea was that Germany would supply certain weapons, primarily battle tanks and other heavy equipment, to NATO partner countries rather than directly to Ukraine. These countries in turn would hand over to Ukraine weapons from their old stocks. This had the advantage of allowing Germany to circumvent the issue of supplying heavy weapons directly to Ukraine while still showing solidarity with it.
In the summer, Slovakia sent 30 battle tanks to its eastern neighbor. For its part, Slovenia delivered 28 tanks to Ukraine at the end of October, for which Germany is supplying it with 43 military transport vehicles. The Greek army got a total of 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles from Germany. In exchange, Greece would send 40 Soviet-designed battle tanks to Ukraine.
The Czech Republic delivered 40 more. In return, Bratislava is getting 15 Leopard tanks from Germany, while Prague will receive 14. Czech Republic handed over heavy weapons to Ukraine as part of ring swap “The exchange of rings with the Czech Republic is another very good example of how we can quickly and easily support Ukraine in its courageous fight against Russian aggression. The Czech Republic is supplying heavy weapons, we are helping to close the gaps," said Defense Minister Lambrecht. The Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks came from German defense industry stocks and are financed by Germany, the Defense Ministry said in a press statement. Ammunition and spare parts were also part of the agreement, as is the training of Czech soldiers on the tanks.
NATO countries such as Slovenia still had weapons and equipment from the former Warsaw Pact. They deliver this to the Ukraine and receive weapon systems from the Bundeswehr as replacements from Germany. This is to ensure that Ukraine receives urgently needed weapons soon and can use them quickly. "Ukraine needs weapons and equipment that can be incorporated into the logistical system without further, time-consuming training and with minimal friction," explains Lieutenant General Kai Rohrschneider, Head of the Defense Ministry's Armed Forces Management Department. "We shouldn't increase Ukraine's logistical problems with our deliveries."
The Düsseldorf- based Rheinmetall group received around 159 million euros for 15 Leopard 2 battle tanks. The federal government then exported the vehicles to Slovakia. Included in the delivery package: refurbished Leopard 2 A4 including equipment, ammunition and services, each worth around ten million euros. In return, Slovakia delivered weapon systems of Soviet design to Ukraine. In a comparable deal with Hungary in 2018, the Munich armaments company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) only received around three million euros per tank, i.e. almost a third.
"I wish the chancellor would change his line," said Bundestag defense committee chairperson Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. Delivering Leopard tanks and more Marder infantry fighting vehicles was "unbelievably important and should happen immediately," the politician from the neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) told public broadcaster ARD. In a war situation such as this, she added, "Ukraine's successes can only be underpinned if they have the weapons that they need now."
Even members of the Green Party, the second biggest party in the government coalition and until last year opposed to increasing German arms exports abroad, have been urging more military help. "Everyone in the government knows by now that more would be possible," Green Party co-leader Omid Nouripour told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.
But, speaking at an event hosted by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) on 12 September, 2022, Defense Minister Lambrecht explained to a gathering of diplomats and military personnel that Germany inherently had a leading role in Europe. Lambrecht said Germany must take on a leadership role militarily, whether it wants to or not. "Germany does not have to be afraid" of doing so, she said.
She also reminded her audience that her first duty as defense minister was to ensure that Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, was equipped well enough to defend the country. "It's not so simple just to say: I'll just risk that we won't be able to act, the defense of the country, by giving everything away. No, I won't do that," she said. "But we have other possibilities, from industry, with our partners."
Lambrecht added that training Ukrainian soldiers to fight with Leopard 2 tanks would take weeks, whereas deliveries of Soviet-built tanks, like those used in other Eastern European countries, can be sent into battle in Ukraine right away. She added that all decisions about arms exports would be made in coordination with NATO allies, especially the US and UK. "It's a process," Lambrecht told the gathered dignitaries and analysts. "Sometimes there's a military-strategical element to it too. To keep talking about what is being delivered, and therefore to let Putin know what is coming, is perhaps not the cleverest idea."
Germany had long refused to send Ukraine Leopard and Marder tanks – prompting in September a furious tweet from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?” Kuleba railed.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is the key figure here. Much has been made of what Germans call the country’s Zeitenwende (turning point) – a pivot away from Berlin’s longstanding emollience towards Moscow. But Scholz has drawn a line at sending tanks – despite pressure within his ruling coalition, with even Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock hinting that he should change course.
“The Zeitenwende is a process that has started but many people, myself included, think it hasn’t gone far enough,” Michal Baranowski, managing director of Warsaw-based GMF East, part of the German Marshall Fund, said. “On the one hand, Germany is sending Ukraine anti-aircraft missiles and you couldn’t imagine that even just a few months ago. But on the tank issue, it’s just Scholz who’s holding back on this in Germany; sending tanks has become a symbol of his resistance to pressure.”
In mid-September 2022, the Bundeswehr's inspector-general, Eberhard Zorn, Germany's highest-ranking soldier, downplayed Ukraine's military success in the northeast of the country in an interview with the weekly Focus news magazine. "I am cautious about using such terms," he said, referring to the Ukrainian army's counteroffensive which had been praised by the US and UK. In the same interview, Zorn warned of Russian attacks on the Baltic States or Finland.
Ben Hodges, a former commander of US forces in Europe, who lives in Germany, described Zorn's statements as a "stunningly poor analysis of Russian capabilities." He said that Finland alone could crush Russian forces in their current state. And Lithuania and Poland, which share borders with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea coast, could "smother" them "in a week." Most Western analysts tend to agree with the US general.
Within Germany's government, the more restrained Social Democrats were facing increasing pressure from their coalition partners – the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP). In an interview with the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock from the Greens said: "In this decisive phase which Ukraine now finds itself in, I do not consider this to be a decision that should be dragged out for a long time." She added that in any case, the delivery of "modern battle tanks" such as the Leopard 2 could only be decided collaboratively "in a coalition and internationally." Baerbock has continually spoken out in favor of solidarity with Ukraine.
A proposal by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a Berlin-based think tank, for a "Leopard 2 Plan" was making the rounds in the German capital. It recommends that European countries, which have the Leopard 2 in stock should form a group to provide Ukraine with 90 battle-ready tanks. "After supporting Ukraine's urban defensive fight and boosting its long-range strike capabilities, they should equip its armed forces for maneuver warfare. Heavy armor will be crucial in this next phase of the war," analysts Gustav Gressel, Rafael Loss, and Jana Puglierin recently wrote in a report.
They suggested that the German government should create a "consortium of European Leopard 2 users" for this purpose and explained that 12 European armies and Turkey had more than 2,000 various Leopard 2 tanks between them. For Nico Lange from the Munich Security Conference, "an association of several European nations that have Leopard 2 battle tanks," could be a way to support Ukraine "on an equal footing" with the US. So far, Washington has delivered the most weapons to Ukraine by a large margin.
In September 2022 the largest opposition party in Germany, the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), has put forward a motion for the delivery of Western-designed battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles from industrial stocks to Ukraine. If the motion — titled "Defending peace and freedom in Europe — supporting Ukraine resolutely with heavy weapons now," — were put to a vote, cracks in the governing coalition could be revealed, as many deputies from the Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) deputies were also in favor of providing more military assistance.
In an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media outlet on 23 December 2022, Ukraine's deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, called on Germany to supply Kyiv with its Leopard main battle tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle. "If the German government doesn't want to go it alone on deliveries, then Germany could pursue a leadership role on the continent in this, forging a European tank alliance," Melnyk said.
Melnyk previously floated the idea of an alliance to supply tanks when he stepped down as ambassador in October. At the time, he suggested European states could pool their stocks of around 2,000 Leopard 2 tank and deliver 10% of those to Ukraine.
Atte Harjanne and Anders Adlercreutz were both Members of Parliament in Finland, chairs of their respective parliamentary groups and members of the Parliamentary Defence Committee. On 27 December 2022 they co-authored an open letter arguing for Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Anders Adlercreutz from the Swedish Peoples' Party and Atte Harjanne from the Greens argue that if smaller countries with Leopard tanks give a few each, then Europe's biggest user of the Leopards, Germany, will have no excuses left not to provide the tanks -- which the Ukrainians themselves have asked for.
Rheinmetall built 3,600 Leopard 2s. Hundreds of older models, including many of the most popular Leopard 2A4s, were in storage in Germany, Finland, The Netherlands and Spain, among other countries. Notway had 52 units of Leopard 2A4NO, of which only 36 were in operation (the rest in storage). From 2025, all current "leopards" were planned to be replaced either by K2 Black Panther or on Leopard 2A7. The Spanish had 327 of the Leopard 2 tanks, of which 219 in modification 2e (2A6+) and 108 in modification 2A4 (most of the storage). The Spanish Army could give up 40 Leopard 2A4 tanks stored a decade ago in Zaragoza to reinforce the Ukrainian troops. Poles said that 78 Leopard 2A4s were in storage, with 30 already sent to Czechia and Slovakia. The 2022 edition of the IISS Military Balance states that Canada had 52 Leopard 1C2 in storage.
According to the German government report of 10/2021 on Bundeswehr readiness, Hermany had 289 active Leopard 2 and planned to increase to 328 until 2025. There is a surplus of older models in storage at Krauss-Maffei Wegmann [88 Leopard 1A5 and Leopard 2A4 - 30 allocated for backfill, 70 allocated to force lecel increase, and about 100 un-allocated]. Die Welt also reported in September 2022 that Krauss-Maffei Wegmann could supply 100 Leopard 2A7s to Ukraine over a period of 36 months.
German armsmaker Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE) could only deliver repaired Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine in 2024 at the earliest, its chief executive was quoted as saying by Bild newspaper on 14 January 2023. Germany's defense industry is banned by law from producing tanks for stock-keeping, and even if production were sped up, it could take two years until new were ready for use.
Repairing the tanks it had in stock would cost several hundred million euros and the company could not begin doing so before the order was confirmed, Armin Papperger told Bild. “We still have 22 Leopard 2 vehicles that we could prepare for use and deliver to the Ukraine. We still have around 88 vehicles from the Leopard 1. But we cannot repair these tanks without an order, as the costs are several hundred million euros. Rheinmetall cannot finance that in advance. ”The vehicles are not only repainted, but also have to be converted for use in war. They are completely disassembled and then rebuilt. This means that even if the decision is made tomorrow that we can send our Leopard tanks to Kyiv, delivery will take until the beginning of next year.” Poland wanted European countries to jointly send 60 to even 100 Leopard tanks to Ukraine, said Prime MinisterMateusz Morawiecki. Morawiecki said on 07 January 2023 that Warsaw would not be giving Kiev its Leopard 2 tanks “without a broader coalition” of countries willing to do the same. He was echoed by the chairman of Finland’s committee on defense affairs, Antti Hakkanen, who said Helsinki would provide its Leopards if such a decision were made on the European level. Even in this case, the Finnish contribution would be “small” as it prioritizes its own defense.
Finnish authorities made it clear that direct deliveries of tanks to Ukraine are likely to be postponed until the country formally joins NATO. Moreover, even after joining the alliance, Finland, which has about 240 tanks at its disposal, will be able to transfer only a small number of them. Finland's accession to NATO was being postponed due to Turkey's position.
On 18 January 2022, in an interview with Bloomberg, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke about the initiative to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine by at least several Western countries. He noted that Poland hopes that thanks to this, the Ukrainians will be able to deliver up to 100 such vehicles. "We have allocated [for Ukraine – ed.] 14 of our Leopard 2 tanks, and now we are also waiting for Leopards from Denmark, Finland, Germany and tanks from other European Union countries" said Morawiecki. "We wanted to inspire others to actually collect more tanks, to have potentially 60-70, even 100 very modern tanks that can make a difference on the battlefield" said the Prime Minister.
Olaf Scholz said that he "didn't want to be Kaiser Wilhelm " (ie, accidentally triggering a world war) and that's why Germany under his rule will not go out of line. At the same time, he admitted that sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine would be considered if other NATO countries also decided to transfer Western equipment of this class.
The Spanish government will explore whether it can send ten Leopard tanks to Ukraine instead of the six promised. Prime Minister of the Kingdom Pedro Sanchez announced this on 23 February 2023 during his visit to Kyiv. According to radio station Cadena SER , the head of the Cabinet said: "We are going to send six Leopard 2 A4." "We intend to see over the next weeks and months if we can reach ten [combat vehicles]," Sanchez said. According to the El Mundo newspaper , the prime minister also promised to explore the possibility of providing "air assistance" to Kiev. Earlier, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles clarified that the authorities of the kingdom expect to transfer six tanks to Kyiv in late March or early April 2023.
Poland handed over the first batch of four Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said 24 February 2023 at a press conference in Kyiv. "Today, Poland wants, as the first European country, to symbolically hand over the first four Polish Leopard 2A4s," he said and handed the relevant documents to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak said that Leopard had already entered the territory of Ukraine.
Germany decided to supply Ukraine with four more modern Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks from the stocks of the German Armed Forces. "German Defense Minister [Boris] Pistorius has decided to transfer four more Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine from the stocks of the German Armed Forces," the report says. At the same time, it is indicated that this step increases the number of tanks promised by Berlin to Kyiv from 14 to 18.
Thus, together with the Leopard 2A6 tanks from Portugal and Sweden, a total of one Ukrainian tank battalion (31 tanks) is recruited, summed up in the German Defense Ministry. Portugal promised to send 3 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Kiev.
The Swedish government will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Defense Minister Paul Jonsson said at a press conference in the northern city of Boden on 24 February 2023. "We intend to provide about ten tanks," he said. According to the minister, the tanks will be sent "as soon as possible." The head of the department commented "This will affect the defense capacity in the long term and, above all, will affect the growth of the defense forces".
Germany asked Switzerland to sell decommissioned Leopard 2 main battle tanks back to their manufacturer Rheinmetall, so Berlin can replenish its stocks after donating its own tanks to Ukraine, Swiss authorities said on 03 March 2023. The German-made heavy tanks were originally acquired by Bern in the 1980s. Lorenz Frischknecht, spokesman of the Swiss Federal Department of Defense, confirmed the request to Swiss newspaper Blick, which first reported the story on Friday. “From the army’s point of view, it would be possible in principle to dispense with a limited number of battle tanks, minus those necessary for Switzerland’s own needs,” Frischknecht said. According to Blick, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Economy Minister Robert Habeck formally proposed the plan to buy back 96 tanks in a letter to Viola Amherd, the top Swiss defense official, on February 23. They were said to have promised that the combat vehicles in question would not be sent to Ukraine. The newspaper noted that the Alpine country needs 34 of the decommissioned tanks for its own defense.
In photographs replicated in the Ukrainian mass media 30 March 2023, one of the Leopard 2A4 tanks transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine is depicted in the process of being equipped with 4S20 Kontakt-1 dynamic protection modules. DZ blocks are located on the front part of the hull. Also noticeable are handicraft welded structures for fastening the elements of "Contact-1" in the left front part of the machine's turret and the front part of the port side.
These works speak of attempts to cover the well-known weakened zones of the tank. The A4 modification vehicles delivered to Kyiv began to be mass-produced since 1985 and are the same age as the Soviet T-72B tanks. The security of the vehicles, sufficient for the 1980-1990s, was considered unsatisfactory for high-intensity combat operations, after which it was decided to increase the survivability of the vehicle using available methods.
The armor thickness of the Leopard 2A4 tank in the region of the upper and lower frontal parts is equivalent to 200-400 mm of homogeneous rolled armor, and the turret is protected by combined armor protection equivalent to 430-600 mm of steel armor. According to this indicator, the tank is comparable to the Soviet T-64A MBT.
Such security is not enough to cover the front projection and guaranteed protection of the fighting compartment even from the old Soviet Konkurs-M ATGMs with 800 mm armor penetration, Metis-M with 900 mm armor penetration, as well as PG-7VR and RPG-27 rocket-propelled grenades with tandem combat units.
Dynamic protection modules "Contact-1" reduce the penetration of classic single-block cumulative projectiles by about 50-80%. Dynamic protection will increase the tank’s chances of defending against hits from outdated modifications of the Konkurs and Metis anti-tank systems, mounted anti-tank grenade launchers SPG-9 Spear, and RPG-7.
Modern anti-tank systems "Konkurs-M", "Metis-M / 1", anti-tank grenades PG-7VR, RPG-27 "Meadowsweet" with armor penetration from 700 to 1000 mm behind dynamic protection will be able to hit the modified Leopard in the frontal projection.
Dynamic protection "Contact-1" structurally does not increase protection against armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber projectiles. Reservation of the Leopard 2A4 turret will not be enough to protect against the 125-mm Mango-M BOPS, as well as the new Lekalo and Lead-2 BOPS. In addition, modern Shturm-S, Khrizantema-S and Kornet anti-tank systems, capable of penetrating 950-1250 mm of armor behind dynamic protection, are guaranteed to penetrate not only Kontakt-1 blocks, but also the armor steel of the Leopard 2A4 tank .
Bjorn Stritzel, a military columnist for the German newspaper Bild, broke out with an article where he analyzed the threats that this armored fist will have to face in the confrontation with the Russian armed forces. One of the main problems for German tanks in the fields of Ukraine, the analyst considers anti-tank guided missiles of the Kornet family. There are many such anti-tank systems in service with Russian infantrymen. They are also often installed on armored vehicles. The German is worried about the combat characteristics of these shells with a tandem-cumulative warhead, penetrating up to 1100-1300 millimeters of armor, covered with dynamic protection. This "behind the eyes" is enough to stop any Leopard. He also mentions the older anti-tank systems in service with the Russian army - "Konkurs", "Metis" and "Bassoons". For these systems, Leopards are highly vulnerable when fired at the side or stern.
No less than ATGMs, the German analyst is worried about anti-tank mines. In the article, he mentions the old Soviet TM-62 push-pull. There are plenty of them in Russian military warehouses. Eight kg of explosives in the "teemka" are unlikely to be able to destroy the "Leopard". But to deprive the caterpillars and tear off a couple of rollers for him is quite. A tank immobilized in this way becomes an easy prey for artillery and grenade launchers. The modern Russian PTKM-1P mine also poses a great danger to German armored vehicles. She “feels” the equipment passing by and when it approaches closer than 50 meters, it shoots up a warhead equipped with thermal and radar sensors. With their help, the ammunition is aimed and fires a "shock core" into the poorly protected roof of the turret or the engine compartment of the tank.
According to the German expert, most of the models of Russian tanks fighting in Ukraine are inferior in terms of their set of characteristics to the Leopard-2. This is how he speaks of various modifications of the T-62, T-64, as well as the modernized T-72B3M, T-80BVM. And only the modern T-90 is considered by the author of the material to be equal to the German "armor". He states that the anti-tank cannon shells currently at the disposal of Russian tankers cannot effectively hit the modern Leopard-2 head-on. However, under offensive conditions, the defending side will always have many opportunities to hit the German vehicles on the side. In addition, the use of powerful Invar guided missiles launched directly from the barrel of a tank gun will help the domestic military to knock out the "German" in a duel at a long distance.
Berlin and Warsaw agreed within the next 10 days to resolve all issues on the creation in Poland of a joint center for the maintenance and repair of Leopard tanks, which are involved in Ukraine. This was announced on 03 July 2023 in the Polish village of Zamosc by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the DPA agency reports. "Restoration [of equipment] is part of Ukraine's long-term support," Pistorius said.
Sources in industry told Der Spiegel magazine that it was the Polish side that allegedly slowed down the project. In particular, the state-owned company PGZ presented an estimated cost estimate for servicing tanks, which, according to sources, contains "sky-high prices." For example, for the so-called initial inspection of equipment, she wants to take more than €100,000. In Germany, such a service costs only about €12,000. In addition, PGZ does not intend to provide a guarantee for repairs, which is completely unusual, the newspaper writes.
Pistorius announced plans to create the center on April 21 on the sidelines of a meeting of the contact group on Ukraine in Ramstein. The center was supposed to start working at the end of May, the parties signed a corresponding statement of intent. The costs were estimated at about €150 million.
On 05 June 2023, Alexander Mikhailov , head of the Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, told an IA Regnum correspondent about how the Russian army will meet "Leopards". Either these are the first Leopards of the 1960s, or these are more advanced second-generation models, ” he explained. “ If these are first-generation vehicles, then this, of course, is a serious military threat, but in terms of their performance characteristics, they still do not greatly exceed those tanks that have been in service with Ukraine for the past 15 months.” According to him, such a technique, of course, is dangerous, but it is easily hit and it has very weak defense systems.
“If these are the second Leopards, then this is a very serious weapon,” Mikhailov said. - And if we have to deal with them, then here we must use all the types of weapons available and hit them at the maximum distance. Because it is impossible to let them closer than 4 kilometers to your own in any case. He clarified that 30 second-generation Leopard tanks are a serious threat on the local sector of the front, but this is not enough to break into the entire fortified defense line of the Russian group.
“We have formed a very strong defensive line. It will not be easy to find a weak spot in it. And there is no Ukrainian aviation there as such. It does not enter the air defense strike zone, ” Mikhailov said. In addition, he explained that Russia has a fairly large set of anti-tank weapons.
“Since the Leopards of the new models can hit targets at a distance of up to five kilometers, it will not be easy to get close to them. Therefore, grenade launchers and portable anti-tank systems, although they can play a positive role here, most likely, the stake will be placed on anti-tank guns of the Rapira type, long-range artillery and, of course, aviation, which inflicts missile and bomb strikes on heavy armored vehicles, ”summed up Mikhailov.
According to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Leopard 2 and Challenger 2 MBTs that entered service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be equipped with dynamic protection of the Ukrainian development "Knife", and not the Soviet / Russian DZ "Kontakt-1", as previously demonstrated. In Ukraine, it was decided to equip tanks of the Leopard 2A4 and Challenger 2 types (and, in the future, M1A1 Abrams ) received from NATO countries with the Knife dynamic protection complex developed by the State Enterprise BTsKT Mikrotek. The objects the form of a "moon", visible on the section of the "Knife" block, are miniature cumulative funnels. When hit by BOPS, ATGMs or grenades, they work and damage the attacking projectile with many cumulative jets. The complex showed itself well on the T-64BM Bulat tanks and can significantly increase the security of the above types of combat vehicles, and the installation of Contact-1 dynamic protection units is a temporary solution. In total, it is planned to retrofit about 50 tanks.
Modern camouflage reduces the visibility of the tank in several spectra at once, and "Kontakt-1" should strengthen the protection of the crew. Analysts have established that it is equipped with Barracuda multi-spectral camouflage and additional elements of "Kontakt-1" dynamic protection. The Ukrainian military showed the Leopard 2A4 tank in the service of the Armed Forces. The video was published 17 July 2023 on the fighter's TikTok account. A military man showed a German-made Leopard 2A4 tank.
Barracuda is a multi-spectral camouflage designed to reduce the visibility of a tank. A special coating hides the visibility of the equipment from various means of detection: infrared, radar and millimeter radar scanning. Thus, through optical means, it will be more difficult to find a camouflaged tank or any other equipment. Barracuda was created by Saab.
Kontakt-1's dynamic protection should improve Leopard 2's protection against cluster munitions. 2A4 is not the latest modification and does not have the same level of protection as 2A6 or 2A5, so the DZ needs to improve the protection of the crew. The complex, although old, provides protection against cumulative projectiles by 50-80 percent. Against armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber ammunition (BOPS), the Kontakt-1 DZ does not work. There is a version of the Ukrainian Knife DZ that is quite effective against BOPS, but practically ineffective against HEAT warheads. In the Russian view, most tanks are disabled by cumulative projectiles, since tank battles with BOPS are very rare.
The first-generation Kontakt-1 dynamic protection complex was installed on the tanks. It was developed back in 1982 and was intended for the T-64BV, T-72B, T-55AMV, T-62MV tanks. The first-generation dynamic protection complex "Kontakt-1" or 4S20 was developed by the Research Institute of Steel in 1982 to increase the protection of armored vehicles from ammunition and anti-tank missiles with a cumulative warhead. It was put into service in 1985 and was installed on Soviet tanks T-55AMV, T-62MV, T-64BV, T-72B, the first series T-80UD and T-80U and others.
Dynamic protection of the first generation is mounted on top of the tank's armor, while an experienced crew of the Kontakt-1 DZ can be installed on the prepared tank hull in a few hours. In the body of the DZ "Kontakt-1" blocks, an explosive (BB) and metal plates are placed. The principle of operation of the "Contact-1" remote sensing system is that when the cumulative jet and the explosive interact, it detonates, as a result of which the metal plates move towards the cumulative jet, crossing its trajectory, scattering, deflecting and destabilizing it.
Apparently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine considered the original version of the Leopard 2A4 tank to be quite vulnerable and decided to cover up the weak points with the proven Kontact-1. The Ukrainian upgrade will not make the Leopard 2A4 on par with the 2A5, but it will improve its protection. The total weight of the tank can increase to 1.5-2 tons, which will not critically affect the running characteristics.
At the same time, the German manufacturer installed additional protection within the modernization of the tank to the 2A5 level. However, additional booking was not hung there, but the frontal projection of the tower was cut for dynamic protection. Such volumes and complexity of work will require much more time. Leopard also has NERA passive defense elements, which are designed to defend against cumulative projectiles. Structurally, they do not look like the Ukrainian "Kontakt-1".
Possibly the latest Russian ATGMs of the Kornet type will ensure the defeat of the Leopard 2 MBT in any projection, regardless of whether the Armed Forces of Ukraine put the Kontakt-1 DZ on them or not. But, in addition to the Kornets, they are in service with The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have a large number of anti-tank systems of other types with less armor penetration. In battle, the Leopard 2 MBT will not always be attacked by the latest anti-tank missiles.
Potentially, such a hybrid can show a fairly high survivability on the battlefield. With the rational placement of dynamic protection units, in particular, the effect of increasing security against the rapidly gaining popularity of FPV drones equipped with cumulative ammunition from RPG-7 can be noticed. In addition, a significant increase in protection against defeat by obsolete types of cumulative anti-tank munitions that attack both the frontal part of the tank and the sides can be obtained.
The center for the repair and maintenance of Leopard tanks supplied to Ukraine began work in Poland. This was announced on Twitter on 22 July 2023 by the Minister of Defense of the Republic, Mariusz Blaszczak. "The repair center in Gliwice has started working. The first two [tanks] Leopard have already arrived from Ukraine at the Bumar plant," he wrote. The German Defense Ministry announced on July 12 that Poland and Germany plan to jointly coordinate the repair of Leopard tanks, which are involved in Ukraine. Der Spiegel magazine reported that the Polish state-owned company PGZ wanted to take more than €100,000 for the initial inspection of military equipment. In Germany, such a service costs only about €12,000. In early July, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced the intention of the parties to eliminate all differences on this issue within 10 days.
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