The 18 Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks that Germany just sent to the Ukrainian Armed Forces are the last to join the army. Ukraine already has the tanks 14 British Challengers and Stryker and Cougar from the United Statesand soon it will continue to be armored with the cars that, among other countries, send to Spain.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reported that the shipment of 18 Leopards will serve “the country in its defense against the Russian attack.” With this, says Scholz, they fulfill what was promised: 18 tanks accompanied by ammunition, spare packages and two Buffalo armored vehicles. In addition, they arrive in Ukraine fighters trained in Germany to handle it.

The German Ministry of Defense has highlighted that with these battle tanks, added to the 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles that are already in Ukraine, “Germany fulfills its promise to equip and train armored units for Ukraine.”

this delivery has a special symbolism for Kyiv and Berlin, because after months of Ukrainian requests directed the German government caved in to pressure and announced the dispatch of the tanks. A decision that came as a result of an agreement with Washington whereby the United States would also send Abrams tanks. These tanks, as reported by the US Department of Defense, could reach Ukraine towards the fall of this year.

Before the Germans, Ukraine has been receiving the first British Challenger main battle tanks that “strengthen the armored fist” of the Army. Also Stryker and Cougar armored units from the United States. And Poland has already made several deliveries of Leopard 2 tanks. Vehicles that, in short, represent a qualitative improvement of forces based fundamentally on material from the Soviet era.

As for Spain, the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, will explain this Wednesday in the Congress of Deputies how the shipment of the first batch of six Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks. It is expected that the delivery will take place at the end of this week and then another four vehicles of this type will be added.

Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland and Norway are other countries that promised to send tanks to Ukraine.