Germany’s Leopard-2 tanks begin rolling towards the Ukraine as both sides prepare for offensives.
>
A video shows German Leopard-2 tanks and ‘Marder’ infantry fighting vehicles being transported on a train, supposedly headed for Ukraine.
The pictures are said to show the train carrying the military vehicles to Poland, having come from Germany.
At least three of the German tanks can be seen in grainy video released today, after Chancellor Olaf Scholz finally agreed to send the vehicles on January 25.
The exact location of the video is unclear and some claim Poland, while others believe it is in eastern Germany.
It is said that the Russian war bloggers are not happy and are trying to track the location so that they can be attacked as soon as they arrive in Ukraine.
German Leopard-2 tanks have been filmed heading into eastern Germany today.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz finally agreed to send the vehicles on January 25.
It has also been suggested that the tanks be destined for Lithuania, where NATO’s Joint Task Force Very High Readiness exercises are taking place.
Earlier in the year, Germany took the lead in NATO’s most readiness military force, placing thousands of troops on standby and ready to deploy in a matter of days.
The VJTF was created in 2014 as the core of a strengthened NATO Response Force, following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
The VJTF ground forces comprise around 11,500 soldiers, with the Panzergrenadierbrigade 37 at its core.
In total, nine NATO allies (Belgium, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia) will contribute.
Several countries, including the US, have pledged tanks as Russia is said to be planning a “new pre-emptive strike” on Ukraine.
The new offensive will reportedly take place before the first anniversary of their invasion on February 24, according to satellite photos showing Putin’s forces building fortifications.
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the Ukrainian national security and defense council, said: “Now they are preparing for maximum activation and they believe that by the anniversary they should have some achievements.”
“It is no secret that they are preparing for a new wave on February 24, as they say themselves,” he told Radio Svoboda.
The 55-tonne German Leopard 2 tank combines aspects of firepower, protection, speed, and maneuverability, making it adaptable to many types of combat situations.
The 55-tonne German Leopard 2 tank combines aspects of firepower, protection, speed, and maneuverability, making it adaptable to many types of combat situations.
A high-ranking Ukrainian official said it was “no secret” that Russia is preparing for a new wave on February 24, the first anniversary of its invasion.
The tank’s manufacturer, Krauss-Massei Wegmann, has touted it as “the world’s leading battle tank” with a 120mm smoothbore gun and fully digital fire control system.
The £5 million tank has a crew of four and a range of 342 miles, as well as top speeds of about 45 miles per hour (68 km/h). Now with four main variants, its first version first entered service in 1979.
The Leopard 2 also runs on diesel, not the jet fuel that powers America’s M1 Abrams, and is easier to operate than big American tanks and therefore has shorter training times, military analysts say. .
Rheinmetall AG, a German defense contractor that makes the 120mm smoothbore gun on the Leopard 2, says the tank has been fielded by “more nations than any other”, with 3,500 units supplied to 19 countries. More than 2,000 of them have been shipped to more than a dozen European countries and Canada.
It is this large number of Leopard tanks that means they are considered the best option for Ukraine as they would be easily deployable in Ukraine.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates that three to six weeks of training would be required for operational crews and support personnel to achieve basic competency.
Ralf Raths, director of the Panzer Museum in Munster, Germany, said experienced Ukrainian tank crews could probably learn to use the Leopard 2 fairly quickly, and training could be shortened to focus on essential knowledge.
Western Leopard 2 deliveries could help equip Ukraine with the high-calibre munitions needed to replace its own dwindling Soviet-era stockpiles, opening a new avenue for supplies of Western firepower to reach Ukraine, Yohann Michel said. , a research analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said.