Education Ukrainian tankers in Germany The operation of modern German-made tanks is on schedule, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said today during a visit to a military training ground in northwestern Germany.

“The goal is that the tanks, both Leopards and Marders, will be delivered (to Ukraine) by the end of March, and military training will be completed by then,” Pistorius said at the base in Lower Saxony.

During the visit, the German minister visited tank training and live firing of the smaller Marder infantry fighting vehicles, as well as training of the heavier Leopard 2 tank.

Five weeks of training on the Leopard 2A6

Ukrainian soldiers will train for five weeks on the Leopard 2A6, an advanced German-made main battle tank that will be sent to Ukraine.

“The difference is like between a Mercedes and a Lada,” a Ukrainian soldier said, comparing the German-made Leopard-2 to the Soviet T-72 tanks that Ukraine has.

“The goal is to make (Ukrainian crews) experienced for the war so that they can prove themselves in combat,” stressed the German officer, who said that about 20 percent of Ukrainian crews have combat experience, while others have only basic military knowledge. .

“Ukrainians are very motivated and very curious,” said the German officer.

Pistorius was joined for a visit by a leading politician from the conservative opposition Christian Democrats, as well as Ukrainian ex-world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, brother of the current mayor of Kyiv.

^{Source: APE – MEB, dpa}