Germany has decided to build a tank maintenance plant for Ukraine on its own soil, instead of in Poland as initially planned, according to n-tv news outlet. The decision comes after Warsaw projected high costs for the facility, prompting Berlin to explore other options. Germany is also considering the possibility of establishing an additional facility in Lithuania.
The tank maintenance plant will focus on repairing the Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 models, which were given to Ukraine by Berlin in March. Repair work can begin as soon as Ukraine requests the services. Talks are still ongoing regarding how to maintain the Polish-supplied Leopard 2A4 battle tanks, with both Berlin and Warsaw coordinating their efforts in this regard.
The original plan was for two German tank manufacturers, Rheinmetall and KMW, to set up a joint venture in Poland, alongside the Polish state-owned PGZ company. The German government would have covered the costs. However, Germany decided to scrap the facility in Poland due to the disproportionately high price projections from Warsaw, as reported by Handelsblatt citing anonymous sources.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius reportedly pressured his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak to move the project forward, but the initiative faced a months-long delay. The creation of the tank repair hub was agreed upon during a meeting of Ukraine’s Western backers at the US’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany in April. The facility was expected to be set up by the end of May. However, disagreements over payment between Berlin and Warsaw stalled the project.
According to Handelsblatt, approximately half of the German-made hardware donated by European nations to Ukraine is in need of repair. This highlights the importance of establishing a tank maintenance plant to ensure the operational readiness of the Ukrainian military equipment.
In related news, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced that Russian forces have destroyed over 1,200 tanks, including 17 Leopards, since the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in early June. This underscores the need for Ukraine to have access to maintenance and repair facilities to keep their tanks operational.
Germany’s decision to build the tank maintenance plant on its own soil demonstrates its commitment to supporting Ukraine and ensuring the effectiveness of the military equipment it has provided. By setting up the facility domestically, Germany can closely monitor and control the repair process, guaranteeing high-quality maintenance services for Ukraine.
In summary, Germany will construct a tank maintenance plant for Ukraine on its own territory, in addition to considering an additional facility in Lithuania. The decision to abandon the planned facility in Poland was driven by Warsaw’s high price projections, resulting in Germany seeking alternatives. Talks are ongoing regarding the maintenance of the Polish-supplied Leopard tanks. Germany’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and ensuring the operational readiness of the military equipment is demonstrated by the establishment of the tank maintenance plant.
Source link
