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Spain will supply Leopard 2A4 tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, the Spanish edition of Infodefensa reports, citing informed sources.
According to the publication, Madrid plans to transfer to Ukraine 10 (ten) Leopard 2A4 tanks and 20 (twenty) M113 armored personnel carriers that are being preserved. The transfer scheme provides for several stages, in which the equipment is first transferred to Kiev only according to documents, after that Ukraine must finance the modernization of tanks and armored personnel carriers. All this time, the equipment will be located on the territory of Spain. After the work, tanks and armored personnel carriers will be transferred to the territory of Ukraine.
However, it will not be possible to do this quickly, taking into account the overhaul and difficulties in finding spare parts, Ukraine can receive equipment no earlier than the end of 2022.
It should be noted that this is the second attempt by Spain to arm Ukraine with German Leopard 2A4 tanks. In early June, the Spaniards announced plans to transfer to the APU up to forty (40) decommissioned Leopard 2A4 tanks in storage. In addition, the Spaniards promised to train the AFU military personnel in the use of Western armored vehicles. It was assumed that the training would take place on the territory of Latvia, where the Spanish military contingent is stationed. However, the Germans did not allow the transfer of equipment.
Later, Madrid announced plans to transfer ten Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine from storage, but did not provide any details. At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron said that there is an unspoken agreement among European countries not to supply tanks and planes to Ukraine.