The German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall will set up in Ukraine by cooperating with the national military industry to manufacture directly on site. An announcement that coincides with Berlin’s decision to prepare a new military aid plan of 2.7 billion euros for Ukraine.
German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall said Friday it will form a joint venture with Ukraine’s state weapons manufacturer to maintain military vehicles in Ukraine and later produce some equipment. Ukraine’s allies have sent it a huge amount of military gear, including armoured fighting vehicles and heavy battle tanks, to aid Kyiv in its fightback against Russia.
The first stage of the agreement between Rheinmetall and state manufacturer UkrOboronProm involves maintenance and repairing of vehicles transferred to Ukraine.
Later, they plan to jointly produce some of the German company’s equipment in Ukraine, said Rheinmetall.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Germany has dropped a traditionally pacifist stance and become one of Ukraine’s biggest military backers, delivering a wide array of weaponry to Kyiv.
After coming under sustained pressure earlier this year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed that German-made Leopard battle tanks could be sent to Ukraine.
Berlin has since delivered some of its own Leopard tanks to Kyiv.
On Saturday, Berlin said it was preparing a new military aid plan of 2.7 billion euros, including the delivery of numerous tanks, armored vehicles and anti-aircraft defense systems.
“We all want a speedy end to this atrocious war by Russia against the Ukrainian people (…). That is why Germany will provide all the help it can, for as long as necessary”, explained the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in a statement.
Deliveries in preparation include, in particular, 30 additional Leopard-1 A5 tanks, 20 new Marder type armored vehicles and more than a hundred other smaller armored vehicles, 200 surveillance drones, 4 new Iris-air defense systems T and their launch platforms, numerous missiles for anti-aircraft defense, 18 Howitzer-type guns and ammunition.
Roger Barake, with AFP
