The Ukrainian armed forces received 18 modern Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks from Germany to repel the Russian attack on their country.

This was confirmed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at a press conference in Rotterdam on Monday with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “We delivered as described,” Scholz said.

In mid-March, the tank crews completed their training on the Leopard with a shootout. As with other weapon systems, government agencies did not publicly disclose that the tanks were being transported for privacy and security reasons. The news magazine “Spiegel” first reported on the arrival of tanks.

On January 25, after long internal political strife, the federal government announced the goal of “quickly reuniting two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine.” In Ukraine they are usually equipped with 31 tanks each.

The main participants of the initiative are Poland, Norway, Canada and Spain. Poland delivered the first four Western main battle tanks of the ex-Leopard 2A4 type to Ukraine in February. Germany supplies Ukraine 18 Leopard 2A6 and Portugal 3 more weapon systems.

Experts believe that the Leopard 2 is clearly superior in the fight against Russian armored troops. One reason is that it has a stabilized weapon system and can therefore shoot while driving, but the T-72, often used by the Russian armed forces, has to stand still for firing.

Military experts have repeatedly pointed to the central role played by main battle tanks and their interaction with infantry fighting vehicles in the retake of occupied territories.

The four soldiers are the only “mounted” crew of the Leopard 2, which they fight from the vehicle: the driver, gunner, loader, and commander. With its superior firepower and fire control system, the Leopard can “duel” in direct confrontation with the enemy on sight.

Leopard 2: in detail