10 Leopard 1 tanks are already in Ukraine, and even more are on the way.

This is reported by  the Industrial Portal with reference to the message of the Ministry of Defense of Denmark.

The work, which has been going on since the spring, does not stop. The training takes place in Germany, where Danish tank instructors cooperate with the German defense, train crews and hand over tanks to Ukraine.

In February 2023, Acting Minister of Defense of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen announced that Denmark, together with the Netherlands and Germany, would transfer a large number of Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine as part of the EUMAM European cooperation. This transfer includes both the restoration of tanks that have been idle for several years, and the training of Ukrainian tank crews.

Currently, the work has reached the point where the first 10 tanks have already been sent to Ukraine. And more is on the way. Another 10 tanks were delivered from the factory.

“This is a very important task. Denmark sent some of our best tank instructors to Germany to teach the Ukrainians how to use this weapon system as efficiently as possible. And I have no doubt that this will help them win the defensive battle they are fighting now,” said the Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Army, Arpe Nielsen, in connection with a visit to the German training ground where training is taking place.

Most of the Danish instructors are soldiers of the “Judske Drakon” regiment, but there are also those who work in other units of the Danish Defense Forces. There are also several individuals who have retired from the Danish armed forces, but have decided to take a leave of absence from civilian work to return to the Danish armed forces and help train Ukrainians.

Both military and civilians are united by the fact that they all have extensive experience with the Leopard 1A5 tank. And most of them have driven the tank during combat missions in the many missions that the Danish Army has participated in over the years.

About Leopard 1

Leopard 1A5 tanks were in service with the Danish army until 2005. In 1997, Denmark purchased 51 Leopard 2A4 tanks, after which the older Leopard 1A5 models were retired.

In 2010, Denmark sold about 100 old tanks to Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG), where they have remained ever since. At the same time, several Leopard 1A5 tanks were transferred to Danish armored museums. Three of these museums transferred six of them for temporary use to the Danish Ministry of Defense so that the training of Ukrainians could begin immediately after the relevant decision was made.

The tanks, which will be repaired, will be transferred to Ukrainians on a permanent basis and, among other things, will be used for training of Ukrainian crews.

(C)NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL PORTAL 2023