Image source: topwar.ru
The Soviet-made T-72 tanks promised by Bratislava to Kiev are not going to Ukraine yet, the delivery has been postponed indefinitely. It is reported that Germany, which has not fulfilled its promises, is to blame for everything.
In early May of this year, Slovak Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy announced his readiness to supply Soviet T-72 tanks to Ukraine from the presence of the Slovak army, but only in exchange for Western vehicles. Later, at the Silach airbase in central Slovakia, a meeting of three defense ministers took place: Slovakia, Germany and the Netherlands, at which the Slovaks' demands were voiced. The country's Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy told his colleagues from Germany and the Netherlands, Kristina Lambrecht and Kaida Ollongren, that Slovakia is ready to exchange its Soviet tanks for German ones, i.e. Slovaks want to get German Leopard 2 tanks for the T-72.
The German minister approved the exchange and promised to deliver German Leopard 2A4 tanks to the Slovaks. In general, the parties agreed to exchange a certain number of Soviet tanks for the same number of German ones. Everything would have been fine, but the tight-fisted Germans thought that German tanks were much better than Soviet ones and offered to change one to two, i.e. to get two T-72s for one Leopard 2A4. The Slovaks were already offended here, saying that they refused to participate in the deal.
As stated in Bratislava, Berlin offered only 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks for 30 T-72 tanks, and this number is clearly not enough for the defense of the country. Thus, the delivery of tanks to Ukraine has been postponed indefinitely.
Earlier it was reported that Germany itself offered to act as a guarantor of "circular transactions with equipment" when equipment sent to Ukraine is replaced by German equipment. However, it turned out that a lot of armored vehicles went to Ukraine, and the Germans had few tanks. In addition to Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland claim German tanks, and the Poles handed over more than two hundred tanks to Kiev.
