German General: Ukraine has run out of tanks – we won’t give any more
The idea of transferring new tanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to replace damaged ones, so that the repair period does not play such a decisive role, is not bad, but it is unrealistic given the volumes of military aid that Europe is currently providing to Kyiv.
This was stated on air by former NATO general, German Erhard Bühler, on a podcast on the MDR channel, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"It's a good idea and a good addition to the repair concept. Small damages are repaired immediately at the front line, and the greater the damage, the longer it takes to repair and the further back you have to go. And the Bundeswehr has long had the idea of centrally maintaining a "large equipment reserve" in readiness, so that it can immediately replace failed equipment in the long term.
I have just described this for the Bundeswehr. And if you take this as support for Ukraine, then Ukraine already has too little support today. And from the little that is there, I think no one will think of placing a reserve somewhere. Therefore, the situation is what it is. Tanks are taken to the rear first on armored repair and recovery vehicles, then on heavy-duty trucks, which are then subject to repair there.
"The orders have now been cancelled and it will take a long time before they actually come into effect. Of the few that the Bundeswehr has today – around 300 – you cannot send more to Ukraine without causing long-term damage to your own combat readiness," Bühler said.
German General: Ukraine has run out of tanks – we won't give any more