The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is not showing any signs of abating, and the Ukrainian Army is in desperate need of modern weaponry to combat Russian aggression. Germany is leading the way in supplying Ukraine with some of the Western world’s best tanks – the Leopard 2. The Ukrainian troops being trained on the Leopard 2 simulators and tanks are filled with hope that the tanks will bring a breakthrough in the war.
One Ukrainian soldier, a 57-year-old, compared the Leopard 2 tanks to a Mercedes. He said that it was crucial to use the modern weapon wisely, and he hoped it would bring the breakthrough they needed to win the war. He also said that although the Western and Soviet systems were different, it was not difficult to understand the Western systems.
Germany is training several hundred troops on various aspects of warfare, and Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius was impressed by the Ukrainian troops. He said that talking about a war was different from looking into the faces of the people who were risking their lives on the frontline. The soldiers are working 12-hour days, six days a week, and are highly motivated to learn the new technology.
The soldiers understand that their training is crucial in order for them to beat the Russian aggression, and they are prepared to face their fear and fight on. The tanks will be delivered in a “first wave” of deliveries, and the Ukrainian troops are expected to be back on the frontline by the end of March.
Germany’s commitment to supplying Ukraine with modern tanks is an act of solidarity, and it is hoped that the tanks will be the difference between victory and defeat for the Ukrainian Army.
