Last Update: March 07, 2023, 22:04 IST
Ukrainian service members ride atop a tank outside the border town of Bakhmut amid Russia’s offensive on Ukraine in Ukraine’s Donetsk region (Image: Reuters)
Poland promised to send a total of 14 German-built Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Kiev, with the first four being delivered in late February, on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poland said on Tuesday it would send 10 Leopard tanks to Ukraine this week, which Kiev says will offer it vital vehicles to counter Russia’s aggression.
Poland promised to send a total of 14 German-built Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Kiev, with the first four already delivered in late February, on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Poland will deliver 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine already this week,” Mariusz Blaszczak told reporters in Warsaw before leaving for Stockholm for a meeting of EU defense ministers.
Blaszczak also said that Poland would set up a service hub for battle tanks used in Ukraine.
“We are ready to launch a service hub in Poland that will repair and service Leopard tanks delivered to Ukraine,” Blaszczak said, adding that he would raise the issue in his talks with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
“The fundamental issue we will discuss is the low availability of spare parts for Leopard tanks,” said Blaszczak.
“I expect Minister (Boris) Pistorius to influence German industry to deliver spare parts to Leopard,” said the Polish minister.
Poland was leading the effort to send modern Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, with Germany initially resisting pressure from the Allies to authorize the move.
Earlier this year, Berlin agreed to send over its leopards and has approved deliveries from other countries, including Poland, Sweden, Finland and Portugal.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)