Govt. recalls Leopard 1s for Ukraine

Denmark, in cooperation with the Netherlands and Germany, is to repurchase and donate at least 100 Leopard 1 tanks, which have been phased out, to Ukraine. Eighty of the tanks are to be delivered as “quickly as possible”, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday evening. Some ten years ago, Denmark sold 99 Leopard 1 tanks to a German military company after they had been phased out in the Danish armed forces. These are, among other things, the ones that Denmark is now helping to buy back. The first tanks are expected to be ready within a few months and will be used to train Ukrainian forces, the press release said.
   “Ukraine urgently needs tanks to withstand Russia’s continued aggression. I am proud that Denmark has a large share in the new cooperation with other countries to support Ukraine. Our cooperation on the donation of such a large number of Leopard 1 tanks goes well with other countries’ delivery of tanks to Ukraine,” says Acting Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen. Ukraine will be offered training in the use of the tanks. Spare parts and an ammunition package will also be included.   “This cooperation testifies to the great unity and the enormous will in the West to support Ukraine’s right to decide its own destiny,” says Troels Lund Poulsen in the announcement. /ritzau/