Dozens of Belgian Leopard Tanks to be Delivered to Ukraine

Dozens of second-hand German "Leopard 1" tanks from Belgium have been purchased by an unnamed European country and will be delivered to Ukraine to equip and support Ukrainian forces in their battle against Russia. According to Reuters, Freddy Versluys, CEO of the Belgian defense company OIP Land Systems, purchased these tanks from Belgium five years ago and has now sold all 50 tanks to another European country for shipment to Ukraine. Reports indicate that the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall may participate in the refurbishment of the tanks for delivery to Ukraine. At the same time, it is said that these tanks could be deployed on the front lines in Ukraine within four to six months after major repairs. According to the report, Germany is also funding the refurbishment of 32 tanks as part of a support package for Ukraine. The "Leopard 1" tanks, manufactured by the German company Krauss-Maffei, were last updated in the 1990s. Previously, Germany announced that it would provide 2.7 billion euros (equivalent to 3 billion dollars) in military aid to Ukraine, which is the largest military aid package from Germany since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to a statement from the German Ministry of Defense, this package will include 30 Leopard 1 tanks, 15 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, over 200 reconnaissance drones, and four IRIS-T air defense systems. Ukrainian officials welcomed global efforts at the Jeddah peace summit to achieve peace. Missile strikes on Ukraine by Russia; Zelensky: A war crime has occurred. The peace summit in Saudi Arabia was reported by Farhad Poladi. Russian missile attacks on Ukraine; at least seven people killed and dozens injured. Ukraine: The Saudi negotiations were a "major blow" to Russia on the global stage. Japan expressed concern over Iran's uranium enrichment program and the sending of drones to Russia. The conclusion of the peace summit in Saudi Arabia; China welcomed the continuation of talks. Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack on a blood transfusion center in eastern Ukraine a "war crime."