Ukraine is again under fire from Russia. Germany and the Czech Republic conclude a new supply contract with Rheinmetall, from which Ukraine should also benefit in the exchange of rings. The first vehicle is scheduled to be delivered in December.
The armaments group Rheinmetall is delivering 15 combat and recovery tanks to the Czech Republic as part of a so-called ring exchange to support the Ukraine. As the group reports, the NATO partner will receive the “Leopard 2A4” battle tank and the “Buffalo” armored recovery vehicle. In the course of the exchange of rings, the Czech Republic is for its part handing over military equipment and tanks of Soviet design to Ukraine for support.
The group announced that a corresponding agreement had been concluded in Prague with the German and Czech governments. The total order value is said to be around 157 million euros. According to Rheinmetall, this also includes “an ammunition package and an integrated service package for training services and the supply of spare parts”. The first vehicle should be delivered in December, and the entire delivery should be completed by the end of 2023.
According to Rheinmetall, the “Leopard 2A4” is an “overhauled” main battle tank owned by the group from the stocks of various user states. The “Buffel” armored recovery vehicle will be built on an outdated “Leopard 2” chassis and will correspond to “the latest state of the art”.
The federal government has delivered heavy artillery and anti-aircraft defense directly to Ukraine, but has so far failed to meet Kiev’s demand for the delivery of modern Leopard and Marder tanks. Berlin points out that the NATO allies are not doing this either.
Instead, Berlin relies on ring exchange procedures with a number of eastern NATO allies. These tanks of Soviet design would be handed over to Ukraine. In return, Germany provides modern replacements for the partner countries.
In addition to the Czech Republic, ring swap deals have already been agreed with Slovenia, Slovakia and Greece. There was trouble with Poland in the summer about a planned exchange of rings: Warsaw considered a German offer to supply 20 “Leopard 2” tanks for 250 tanks from Soviet times that had already been handed over to Ukraine to be insufficient.
