Germany to deliver 15 ′Gepard′ tanks to Ukraine in July

Ukraine will obtain 15 anti-aircraft “Gepard” tanks from Germany in July, a German Defense Ministry spokesperson stated Friday. 

Included with the arms supply will likely be coaching assist by the German Armed Forces and the availability of almost 60,000 rounds of ammunition, Germany’s dpa information company reported. 

The announcement got here after a gathering Friday between German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and her Ukrainian counterpart Olexii Resnikov. 

Lambrecht stated that the Gepard is an “effective” weapon with a “considerable deterrent effect … for the protection of critical infrastructure.”

What is the Gepard?

The Gepard (German for “cheetah”) is an anti-aircraft gun, or flak tank, armed with twin 35-mm weapons that can be utilized in opposition to plane and helicopters at altitudes of up to 3,500 meters (11,500 toes).

The tank can be particularly helpful for Ukrainian forces, because it was designed to counter armored assault helicopters, such because the Soviet-Russian Mil Mi-24.

It can be efficient in opposition to calmly armored floor targets similar to infantry autos and transport tanks, however can be weak to battle tanks due to its comparatively small caliber weapons.

The Gepard was developed in 1976 and the final tank was decommissioned by the German navy in 2012. The models to be despatched to Ukraine should be made operational once more.

The German producer of the Gepard, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, has technically refurbished mothballed tanks from earlier German navy shares. A complete of fifty Gepards may very well be made accessible.

What arms has Germany despatched to Ukraine?

Germany’s weapons deliveries to Ukraine come after a landmark coverage shift in the primary weeks of the conflict permitting for German arms to be despatched into energetic fight zones.

Since then, Germany has pledged to ship varied weapons programs into Ukraine.

These embrace seven Howitzer 2000 artillery weapons, that are mounted on a fast-moving car, and hearth shells in speedy succession greater than 30 kilometers. Around 60 Ukrainian troopers arrived in Germany earlier in May to start Howitzer coaching.

Other weapons embrace 500 Stinger moveable anti-aircraft missiles, Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons, and small arms.

However, Ukraine has stated Germany is dragging its toes on delivering bigger weapons programs.

After Russia stated it might shift its conflict focus to the japanese Donbas area, Ukraine has pleaded with the West to deliver it weapons like fast-moving tanks and long-range artillery, to efficiently counter a extra cellular Russian pressure working in the comparatively open terrain of japanese Ukraine.

wmr/rt (dpa, Reuters)

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