This is how aid from Spain (and the EU) to Ukraine has grown, from bulletproof vests to Leopard tanks

On February 27, three days after the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Spain moved token and made its first aid shipment to Ukraine: 20 tons of Spanish defense and medical supplies landed in Poland. A few days later, that first aid package —of helmets, bulletproof vests, masks, gloves, protective suits and defense material against a bacteriological or nuclear war— changed its tone and went from defensive to offensive.

On March 2, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, pronounced the word armament in Congress. The ministers of Podemos Ione Belarra and Irene Montero were opposed, unlike the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz.

Days after, two A400M aircraft of the Air Force left for Poland, at a point very close to the Ukrainian border, with the first direct shipment of offensive material: 1,370 anti-tank grenade launchers, 700,000 cartridges for machine guns and light machine guns. The aim of the material was to allow the individual defense even of people who did not have training with weapons, explained then the Minister of Defense, Daisy Robles. In the following months, Spain continued sending offensive materialbut Ukraine insisted that it was still being insufficient and once again highlighted his priorities: the Leopard tanks.

It was not until June when government sources confirmed that Spain would send these battle tanks along with anti-aircraft missiles. At this time, Spain is still immersed in the process to send a first batch of Leopard 24A main battle tanks to the Ukrainian Army.

The company santa barbara has already begun the inspection and repair tasks of half a dozen of these tanks that are part of the fifty in disuse that have been stored for more than a decade in facilities of the Land Army in Zaragoza. Precisely the Minister of Defense has recently confirmed that they are going to be six the chariots that are going to be sent, between the end of March and the beginning of April, and left the open door to increase that number “if necessary and requested by the allied countries”.

But that is not all. She has also offered a training plan so that Ukrainians learn to use them. Last week the first soldiers arrived: a total of 55 fighters to be trained in both driving and maintaining the tanks. Training takes place in Zaragoza by the Army. They were part of a contingent of 125: the other 70 were assigned to the Toledo Training Commandwhich was set up in November for the European Union Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine, where they receive training in health care, in combat explosive devices and in demining.

Since last September, Spain has been providing training to Ukrainian military personnel in Spanish territory. During this time, 800 have been trained, including the 125 who are now in the process.