Switzerland decided to investigate the transfer of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine

The Swiss authorities have requested an investigation in connection with the acquisition by the state arms company RUAG in 2016 of 96 Leopard 1 tanks in Italy and the signing of a contract in 2023 for their resale to the German concern Rheinmetall for subsequent delivery to Ukraine.

In 2016, the state-owned RUAG Holding SA purchased 96 Leopard 1 tanks from Italy, leaving them there for storage. According to the state company RUAG MRO, created after the reorganization of RUAG Holding SA, these tanks were purchased “as a commercial product for using engines for spare parts.”

At the beginning of 2023, the Rheinmetall concern asked RUAG MRO about the possibility of selling these tanks,” and in response, “Rheinmetall openly stated that these tanks, after service repairs in Germany, should be delivered to Ukraine.”

However, the contract contained a condition according to which the supply of tanks to a third country could be carried out only with the consent of the competent Swiss authorities.

This is not the first trial in Switzerland involving the supply of weapons and military equipment to the Ukrainian army. Earlier, the country launched an investigation into the fact leaks of documents on the supply of weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The papers cited various options for the supply of weapons to Ukraine, while maintaining neutrality by Switzerland. In particular, they discussed a possible exchange of military equipment with the Baltic countries.

At the same time, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economics stated that they consider it legally possible to use the 7.4 billion francs (about $8.3 billion) of the Russian Central Bank located in the country. for the restoration of Ukraine.