KYIV/BERLIN, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Germany has decided to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to help fight Russia’s invasion and allow other countries such as Poland to do the same, while the United States may supply Abrams tanks, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
Kyiv has pleaded for months for Western tanks that it says it desperately needs to give its forces the firepower and mobility to break through Russian defensive lines and recapture occupied territory in the east and south.
Earlier, Poland said it had formally sent a request to the German government to allow it to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine, pushing Berlin closer to a long-awaited decision on allowing the re-export of the NATO workhorse heavy tank.
While the Abrams is considered less suitable than the Leopard for Ukraine due to its heavy fuel consumption and difficulty to maintain, the move could encourage Germany to provide Leopards. The Social Democrats, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, are skeptical of measures that could prompt Russia to escalate the war and see the NATO alliance at risk of becoming embroiled in conflict.
Used by armies across Europe, the German Leopard is widely regarded as the best option due to its mass availability, ease of deployment and maintenance.
The Bundeswehr Chief of Staff said sending the tanks was a political decision. A senior official said the choice ultimately fell to Scholz and his cabinet.
His more than 1,000-kilometer front in eastern and southern Ukraine has been largely frozen for two months, despite heavy casualties on both sides. It is widely believed that Russia and Ukraine are planning an attack.
Ukraine has long struggled to root out corruption at the highest levels, but the campaign is a decision as Russia’s aggression leaves Kyiv heavily dependent on Western support and the government aims to join the European Union. has taken on significant importance.
The deputy defense minister, the deputy prosecutor, the deputy head of the Zelensky government and two deputy ministers for regional development resigned.
Some, but not all, were related to corruption allegations. Ukraine has a history of bribery and shaky governance, and is under international pressure to show it can become a trusted custodian of billions of dollars of aid from the West. The purge came two days after the deputy director of infrastructure was arrested and accused of siphoning $400,000 from a contract to purchase a generator.
The defense ministry said Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who is in charge of supplying the army, resigned to preserve his confidence following false allegations of corruption in the media. It followed newspaper reports that the ministry had overpaid the army for food, which the ministry denied.
Kirilo Tymoshenko, the deputy chief of staff in Zelensky’s office, announced his resignation without giving a reason, after helping him run the 2019 presidential election and most recently overseeing regional policy. I came. As the shock wave spread, Prime Minister Denis Shmykhal told a cabinet meeting that Ukraine was promoting an anti-corruption campaign. “It is the systematic and ongoing work that is sorely needed for Ukraine and an integral part of its integration with the EU,” he said.
Earlier, Poland said it had formally sent a request to the German government to allow it to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine, pushing Berlin closer to a long-awaited decision on allowing the re-export of the NATO workhorse heavy tank.
While the Abrams is considered less suitable than the Leopard for Ukraine due to its heavy fuel consumption and difficulty to maintain, the move could encourage Germany to provide Leopards. The Social Democrats, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, are skeptical of measures that could prompt Russia to escalate the war and see the NATO alliance at risk of becoming embroiled in conflict.
Used by armies across Europe, the German Leopard is widely regarded as the best option due to its mass availability, ease of deployment and maintenance.
The Bundeswehr Chief of Staff said sending the tanks was a political decision. A senior official said the choice ultimately fell to Scholz and his cabinet.
His more than 1,000-kilometer front in eastern and southern Ukraine has been largely frozen for two months, despite heavy casualties on both sides. It is widely believed that Russia and Ukraine are planning an attack.
Ukraine has long struggled to root out corruption at the highest levels, but the campaign is a decision as Russia’s aggression leaves Kyiv heavily dependent on Western support and the government aims to join the European Union. has taken on significant importance.
The deputy defense minister, the deputy prosecutor, the deputy head of the Zelensky government and two deputy ministers for regional development resigned.
Some, but not all, were related to corruption allegations. Ukraine has a history of bribery and shaky governance, and is under international pressure to show it can become a trusted custodian of billions of dollars of aid from the West. The purge came two days after the deputy director of infrastructure was arrested and accused of siphoning $400,000 from a contract to purchase a generator.
The defense ministry said Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who is in charge of supplying the army, resigned to preserve his confidence following false allegations of corruption in the media. It followed newspaper reports that the ministry had overpaid the army for food, which the ministry denied.
Kirilo Tymoshenko, the deputy chief of staff in Zelensky’s office, announced his resignation without giving a reason, after helping him run the 2019 presidential election and most recently overseeing regional policy. I came. As the shock wave spread, Prime Minister Denis Shmykhal told a cabinet meeting that Ukraine was promoting an anti-corruption campaign. “It is the systematic and ongoing work that is sorely needed for Ukraine and an integral part of its integration with the EU,” he said.
