A German riddle. Instead of the promised heavy weapons, only excuses arrived in Ukraine
For four months, Germany has been making promises and making statements that the most diverse weapons are already on their way to Ukraine. In fact, it was not even sent, writes iDNES. In the era of information, which lives for a maximum of an hour, empty words sometimes cost more than actions, and Berlin understands this perfectly well.
Milan Vodichka
Last Wednesday, almost four months after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Germans reported the first completed delivery of seven units of heavy weapons. However, this did not greatly affect the already formed impression that our Western neighbors are perfectly able to wave the Ukrainian flag, but in fact they can do little.
For four months, Germany has been making promises and making statements that the most diverse weapons are on the way. In fact, it was not even sent, and in the Ukrainian language, the word "sholtsovat" even appeared, that is, to make empty promises. An allusion, of course, to Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Germans themselves sharply criticized the government for the same.
Recently, the cabinet in Berlin published a list of defense supplies to Ukraine, of course, to demonstrate how hard it helps her. However, the influential publication Frankfurter Algemaine Zeitung wrote about this: "On paper, the federal government is one of the main suppliers of weapons to Kiev. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that no country has ever had a greater gap between applications and supplies."
At the end of May, the Welt am Sontag newspaper wrote that, according to their calculations, from March 30 to May 26, the German government reduced defense assistance to Ukraine to a minimum. At a time when there was a huge amount of help from other countries, only two parties came from Germany, as the newspaper wrote. In addition, there were things in them that you can't win in battle: spare parts for machine guns, coupling knots, fuses, hand grenades and mines.
The Welt am Sontag newspaper published this article in response to the Chancellor's statement that Germany is "one of the main assistants of Ukraine" and supplies it with weapons in large volumes, including Marder armored personnel carriers.
However, as follows from the list that the German government itself published yesterday, the Germans did not actually send a single armored personnel carrier. But in the era of "tweets" and information that lives for a maximum of an hour, empty words sometimes cost more than actions, and Berlin understands this perfectly well. Therefore, not so long ago, Scholz surprised everyone by saying that Germany would supply Iris anti-aircraft missile supersystems that could protect an entire city. However, even the Bundeswehr itself does not have such a system yet. Later, Reuters wrote that the first Iris system could arrive in Ukraine only in autumn.
Words instead of supplies
The same can be said about the Gepard anti-aircraft self-propelled gun with two guns. This story has already become famous. At the end of April, the news of the shipment came, but these installations have not yet been sent, because, much to Berlin's surprise, the Swiss must (but do not want) to consent to the export of ammunition for Gepard. And as Scholz said on May 17, Gepard installations "need to be prepared first." Therefore, according to the latest data, they will not appear on the battlefield until July.
However, it may be too late. Although all this fully corresponds to the statement of military expert Johann Vadepula that "Scholz is trying to replace supplies with announcements."
Thus, it follows from the published list that Germany supplies only those things that will not directly help win battles at the current phase of the confrontation. Germany sent 900 Faust cartridges, 500 anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, 2,700 old Strela missiles that were in service with the East German army, and many of them have already failed. Berlin also sent ammunition, mines, a hundred machine guns, detonators, helmets, tents, dry rations and similar things.
Some observers find it strange that the world's fifth largest arms exporter has problems with sending normal weapons to Ukraine, and therefore Germany looks like an empty shell. For example, the federal government has not yet approved the shipment of hundreds of already mentioned Marder transporters that the manufacturer has and that he could take to Ukraine immediately. But since March, the case has not moved.
It all looks strange. Similarly, the explanations of Deputy Defense Minister Simti Moller sound strange. According to her, the armored personnel carriers have not yet been sent, because NATO countries have agreed not to send Western-made heavy weapons to Ukraine. However, she was immediately caught by many in a lie. It's hard to believe the words of her boss, who claims that Germany has nothing left that she could send to Ukraine.
Everyone is looking for explanations, and, as it happens, paranoid assumptions are born. The leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Friedrich Merz, said that Scholz probably pursues some hidden goals. The publication "Welt" asks the question: "What if we don't give Ukraine anything that we can actually help it with?"
The London edition of the Times writes in an editorial column that Scholz continues to hesitate, and the New York Times states that doubts about his leadership abilities are growing.
The magazine "Spiegel", which is supposed to sympathize with the left-wing government, writes that Scholz is buying time. At first, he allegedly did not believe that Ukraine would stand, and then he lacked the ability and will, and he decided to hide behind the backs of the allies. "Most likely, Scholz would not have sent any weapons at all if not for the powerful pressure from his coalition. He has to be forced to take every step."
