Of the 18 German-made Leopard 2AG main battle tanks sent to Ukraine, only a few are still in operation, with the rest either destroyed or broken, according to German Green MP Sebastian Schäfer, who serves as the defense expert for the party.
“The situation in Ukraine is very difficult at the moment. We need to do more at all levels; the government and industry are called upon to do more,” he wrote on the X social network.
He also underlined his position in letters to Rheinmetall and the French armaments company Nexter.
Footage of the destroyed Leopard tanks littering the battlefields in Ukraine has been widely broadcast by pro-Russian accounts on social media.
However, other countries have also sent their Leopard 2s into action, and it was unclear how many of the tanks provided directly by Germany had even seen action.
Die Situation in der Ukraine ist gerade sehr schwierig. Wir müssen auf allen Ebenen mehr tun, Regierung und Industrie sind gefordert. Das habe ich in Briefen an @RheinmetallAG und @NexterKNDS deutlich gemacht. https://t.co/NhtAoYZY3T
— Sebastian Schäfer (@sebastian_es_) January 2, 2024
So far, the weapon has not had the effect on the battlefield that the Ukrainians were hoping for.
Meanwhile, not only has the Ukrainian counteroffensive failed, but Russia is even making gains along the front.
Schäfer had visited a repair workshop in Lithuania together with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) before Christmas to get an idea of the situation, following which the Green Party member stated: “Unfortunately, it is clear that only a very small number of the battle tanks supplied can still be used by Ukraine.”
He said they were no longer combat-ready due to battle damage, wear and tear, and shoddy repair attempts by the Ukrainians.
“There is also obviously a problem in that the Ukrainian army sometimes attempts to repair the tanks, which then leads to further damage,” Schäfer said, adding that there is a shortage of the required spare parts from Germany.
He suggested that the Ukrainians implement better training for the mechanics on site or provide better instructions. The costly transportation of damaged tanks is also sometimes not the best solution.
Schäfer insisted that more aid and weapons should flow to Ukraine to help it win the war effort.
