hurriyet.com.tr / FOREIGN NEWS
The eyes and ears of the world have been on the news from Ukraine for months… While the war, which entered 2023 at full speed, continued at full speed, a step was taken from Germany and the USA, which was described as a ‘birthday gift to Zelenski’. However, hours later, news came that almost left Ukraine’s enthusiasm in its crop.
The war that started in February of 2022, which we left behind, continues in 2023 without slowing down.
Russia, which had targeted Kiev from the first days of the war, but could not take the city despite the siege that lasted for weeks, turned its target to the east.
While the war intensifying in the eastern regions of the country continues to die, Ukraine continues its resistance with the help of weapons from the West.
The tank knot, which has been a snake story for a while, has finally been resolved.
The German government has officially announced that Leopard-2 tanks will be sent to Ukraine. Hours after Chancellor Scholz’s announcement, US President Joe Biden announced that 31 Abrams M1 tanks would be sent to this country.
Ukrainian leader ZelenskyWhile the echoes of this step, which was taken on January 25, the birthday of , continued, there was a development that left the enthusiasm of Ukraine in its crop.
The Leopard was first used by the German army in 1979. The latest version of the tank in question, the Leopard 2 tanks, is used by Turkey, Poland, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Austria today.
BAD NEWS FOR UKRAINE: IT MAY BE TOO LATE
It is stated that in the period when Russia increased its attacks and forced Ukraine to fight in the open, the tanks that will be in the hands of Ukraine will strengthen Kiev’s hand.
However, the fact that it will take time for the US tanks to reach the country causes comments to be made that ‘it may be too late when the tanks arrive’.
The sending of US and German tanks to Ukraine is described by military analysts as “Russia’s greatest fear”.
According to the news in the BBC, it will take a long time for Abrams tanks to reach Ukraine, given the complications and the method of purchase.
The following statements were included in the news;
‘The tanks will be purchased from private contractors, not shipped from Pentagon stocks, so it will take months, maybe even a year, to reach Ukraine.’
On the other hand, Armin Papperger, Chairman of the Board of Rheinmetall, the defense industry company where the ‘Leopard 2’ tanks are produced, gave the bad news to Ukraine with the words, ‘Even if a decision is made to send ‘Leopard 2′ type tanks to Ukraine tomorrow, this will only be possible at the beginning of next year’. .
Speaking to Bild am Sonntag newspaper, Papperger underlined that they currently have 22 ‘Leopard 2’ and 88 ‘Leopard 1’ type tanks in their hands, and included the following statements in his statement;
‘It is out of the question for us to make these tanks usable before an order comes to us. Because it costs millions of Euros. And we can’t pre-finance it ourselves. Tanks will not only be painted, they will be technically equipped to be ready for battle. For this, all parts need to be overhauled one by one. This also takes time.
.