Spain is finalizing the tuning of the last four Leopard 2A4s that remain to be sent to Ukraine, and which will arrive at the front in early July. This has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defense after the participation of Minister Margarita Robles in the Ramstein format, the monthly meeting of the allied countries in which they listen to the needs of Ukraine and coordinate aid to the country invaded by Putin.
Spain initially promised six Leopard main battle tanks. However, Pedro Sánchez increased that donation to a total of ten armored vehicles during his visit to kyiv on the occasion of the anniversary of the war. Since then, at the Santa Bárbara factory they have been used to carry out a fourth-step revision of the Leopards to fine-tune them, since they had been hibernating in Casetas (Zaragoza) for ten years.
It was at the end of last April when the first six tanks arrived in Poland by sea. From there, they began a journey by rail to the front, in Ukraine, where they would already be operational. According to the times, these four new armored vehicles would leave in just two weeks to be at the front at the beginning of July.
In addition to the donation, Spain has been in charge of training the 55 soldiers who are going to carry out the management and maintenance tasks of the Leopards. They are a group of soldiers who spent a month in Zaragoza learning how to drive, although they arrived with prior knowledge of driving cars. Spain, in addition to doing specific training in Leopard, is participating in a European Union training mission for Ukrainians, both in basic instruction at the Toledo Infantry Academy and in specific courses elsewhere in the national territory. 1,500 soldiers have already been trained in different programs.
As was done in March when the first Leopards were shipped, this time Spain will complete the donation with new Armored Caterpillar Transport Vehicles (TOA). This is the third TOAS shipment since the invasion began. The top twenty were shipped in February after a tune-up.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project