After much debate, Germany officially confirmed on Wednesday that it will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, a main battle vehicle that could play a major role in the war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Leopard 2 tanks are seen as an important modern military machine that will strengthen Ukrainian forces as the war with Russia approaches its first anniversary.

Thirteen European countries, including Poland and Finland, already have modern German Leopard 2 tanks, which were introduced in 1979 and have been upgraded several times since then, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations’ research center.

Thirteen European countries, including Poland and Finland, already have modern German Leopard 2 tanks, which were introduced in 1979 and have been upgraded several times since then, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations’ research center.

In total, there are approximately 2,000 Leopard 2 vehicles at various levels of operation throughout Europe. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed in a press release that Germany has allowed partner countries to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine if they so wish.

His statement came a day after Poland made a formal request to Berlin, almost two weeks after the government in Warsaw expressed its intention to send a company of 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Characteristics of the Leopard 2 tank

• Each tank has a 120 mm gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun;

• It can reach a speed of 70 km per hour or 50 km per hour off-road, making maneuverability one of its key characteristics;

• The Leopard 2PL tank is equipped with a 1,500-horsepower engine, which has a range of 300 kilometers, “on the road” – up to 500 kilometers;

• It has the advantages of an infrared firing system;

• According to German manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, it also has full protection against threats including improvised explosive devices, mines or anti-tank fire.

Why Leopard 2 tanks are important for Ukraine

The large number of units already near Ukraine and the Leopard’s relatively low maintenance requirements compared to other models lead experts to believe that these tanks could quickly help Ukraine.

In fact, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and other high-ranking officials in Kyiv, in their numerous appeals to the West, directly called the Leopard-2 tank one of the types of weapons that Ukraine needs.

“The Leopard 2 is a modern, well-protected main battle tank (Mbt) with good sensors,” Jack Watling, senior research fellow at the Royal Joint Forces Institute (RUSI), told CNN.

“It was originally designed to be serviced by recruits and is therefore easier to maintain in a combat environment than other NATO models such as the Challenger 2. There is also an existing production line to supply Leopards with spare parts,” he claims.

The Leopard runs on diesel fuel, unlike the American Abrams tanks, which allows for more efficient use of fuel and reduces the number of tankers needed to support their operation.

These are some of the reasons why critics of Berlin’s position argue that Leopard 2 tanks should be sent to Ukraine regardless of whether the US decides to send its own M1 Abrams tanks.

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