Ukraine rejects 10 German Leopard tanks due to their poor condition

Ukraine rejected a group of 10 Leopard 1A5 tanks from Germany because they needed to be repaired while Kyiv had no technicians or the necessary parts to conduct the repairs themselves.

Kyiv informed the German defense ministry that the Leopard 1 tanks that arrived in Poland are in need of repairs and some of them required a major overhaul, according to Ukrainian newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda citing German outlet Spiegel.

Germany sent a group of experts to Poland to investigate the state of the tanks and it was then revealed that the tanks “were already quite worn out after the training of the Ukrainian soldiers in Germany and needed repairs,” Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

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Additionally, several of the Leopard tanks which arrived in Ukraine in July “broke down for the same reason.”

Spiegel's report additionally highlighted concerns regarding the state of the Leopard 1A5 tanks, of which Germany undertook to ship 100 units to Ukraine. This situation sheds light on logistical challenges in Germany's military assistance efforts, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.

The tanks currently stranded in Poland constitute the second part of a large-scale supply of Leopard 1A5 tanks. These tanks were retired from active service by the Bundeswehr more than a decade ago. However, due to the substantial number of tanks still in storage, there was a directive for armorers to undertake repairs urgently.

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