Russian invasion
Ukraine hopes for further German arms deliveries
A Bundeswehr soldier holds the Panzerfaust 3 in the air during a combat demonstration. Photo: Philipp Schulze/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Panzerfausts, anti-aircraft missiles, armored vehicles and more than 20,000 helmets: German armaments aid for Ukraine is ongoing. But Kiev’s ambassador expects more.
In the fight against the Russian attackers, Ukraine relies on further arms deliveries from Germany.
The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, told the German Press Agency that the German defense industry had made suggestions as to how the Ukrainian armed forces could be supported. “I know the Department of Defense has 60 pages of offers from defense contractors. We expect a positive decision,” said Melnyk.
The companies’ proposals would refer to a wish list from the Ukrainian embassy in early February. These include air defense systems with a range of up to 70 kilometers, anti-drone guns, mine clearance equipment, radio equipment, radar stations, night vision equipment and ambulances.
Raw heavy war equipment list
A second list, which was sent to the Chancellery, the Foreign Office and the Defense Ministry a week ago after the start of the war, has not yet been processed, said Melnyk. Almost all of the heavy weapon systems that the Bundeswehr has are on it: from combat aircraft to submarines to battle tanks. «We hope that the traffic light government will also allow arms deliveries from the second list of March 3rd. It’s about heavy war equipment that is needed for the defense of civilians.”
According to Melnyk, the following aid deliveries from Germany for the military have arrived in Ukraine so far:
– 500 bazookas plus 1000 rounds of ammo
– 500 anti-aircraft missiles of the “Stinger” type
– 14 armored vehicles
– 23,000 hard hats
– 50,000 food packets
According to Melnyk, the following have already been promised:
– 1300 bulletproof armor and 2600 metal plates for armor.
According to Melnyk, no decision has yet been made on the delivery of 2,700 Strela rockets. “These weapon systems are actually very urgently needed,” said the ambassador.
Hope for MiG-29 fighter jets
Despite a clear refusal by the US government, Melnyk is not giving up hope of delivering MiG-29 fighter jets. “The fact is that we need these planes as soon as possible to protect the airspace,” he said. Russia bombed houses, hospitals and schools. “If the planes were handed over to Ukraine, it would not mean NATO entered the war. We hope to have positive news on this in the next few days.”
The Polish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday evening that the government was ready to move all of its MiG-29 fighter jets to the US Ramstein Air Force base in Rhineland-Palatinate and to make the machines available to the US. But US Defense Department spokesman John Kirby dismissed the move on Wednesday, saying such a move “could lead to a significant Russian response that could increase the prospects of a military escalation with NATO.”