Media: Berlin may approve the supply of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine
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The German government approved the supply of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine from its stocks, figured out Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
The Leopard 1 main battle tank is the predecessor of the Leopard 2, which Berlin announced on 25 January.
The German industrial companies Rheinmetall and Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft intend to repair the tanks in storage and sell them to Ukraine after that, the newspaper notes. At the same time, the DPA agency indicates that this step has not yet been formally agreed, transmits TASS.
In addition, it is alleged that Germany is negotiating with Qatar to buy out its 15 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns for their further shipment to Ukraine. According to the publication, the German Defense Ministry believes that these vehicles have “proven themselves well” in the fighting in Ukraine, so it is necessary to supply more Gepard for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as shells for them, but negotiations with Qatar and Brazil have not yet led to anything.
Earlier, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that the country not interested in the supply, at the request of Germany, of ammunition for Gepard. Similar solution was taken and with regard to ammunition for Leopard 1 tanks, the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported. According to the publication, the request of the German government was considered at a meeting of da Silva with the leadership of the country’s Ministry of Defense.
The Brazilian president argued his refusal by the desire to “not provoke” Russia. Brazil has 261 such armored vehicles in service, 500 more in Greece and 397 in Turkey. The warehouses of the German concern Rheinmetall have 88 of these tanks, the publication noted.
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