Dozens of Leopards 1, previously in service with the Belgian army, were still bought from a private arsenal for transfer to Ukraine, WP reports. However, it is unclear how many cars will be suitable for service, since the equipment is in a deplorable state.
Brussels — Dozens of German-made Leopard 1 tanks may be repaired and shipped to Ukraine after an unnamed buyer purchased them from a private Belgian dealer.
"I am glad that they will finally participate in the struggle for freedom," dealer Freddy Versluys, executive director of the defense company OIP Land Systems, wrote in a LinkedIn message. He attached a photo to the message, which shows rows of tanks in a hangar and a bottle of vodka of the brand "Ukrainian Freedom".
Versleis bought this equipment many years ago when the Belgian army got rid of it under a cost-cutting program. Earlier this year, when the allies were discussing the supply of tanks to Ukraine, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said that the government tried to buy the Leopards, but he was offered an "unreasonable" price.
Versleis did not disclose either the amount paid or other details of the transaction, but disputed reports that he allegedly demanded 500 thousand euros for the car, although at one time he bought them for 15 thousand. "The fact that they are leaving our company proves that we asked for a fair market price, and someone took them with great joy," he wrote on LinkedIn.
It seems that the deal put an end to an awkward situation and embarrassment at the state level. Earlier, it led to unpleasant questions for Belgium, why so many tanks ended up in private hands, and why NATO allies could not deliver them to Kiev earlier.
It is still unclear when exactly the tanks in need of major repairs will arrive in Ukraine, and how many of them will eventually be suitable for service.
The German arms company Rheinmetall announced on Wednesday that it will supply Ukraine with about 30 Leopard 1 tanks purchased from a Belgian company. At the same time, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that many "Leopards" are in such a deplorable condition that they are only suitable for spare parts. The German government did not spread about the deal.
The 60-year-old Versleis runs the firm OIP Land Systems, which specializes in the purchase and repair of old military equipment, including wheeled and tracked, for resale or disassembly for spare parts.
Earlier this year, he made headlines because of photos against the background of dozens of used tanks that he put up for sale at a time when Western allies were trying to find weapons in support of Ukraine.
In an interview with The Guardian, Versleis said that he has "probably the largest private arsenal of tanks in Europe": 50 Leopards, 38 German Cheetahs, 112 Austrian SK-105 light tanks, as well as 100 Italian VCC2 and 70 M113 armored personnel carriers.
Russia and Ukraine are struggling to replenish their stocks of weapons, ammunition and equipment, since the conflict has been going on for almost a year and a half, and no decisive breakthrough is visible on either side. <…>
Authors of the article: Beatriz Rios, Kate Brady
