Germany to transfer Marder and Patriot to Ukraine in first months of 2023
Germany will transfer 40 Marder BMPs and the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2023.
The spokesman of the German federal government, Steffen Hebestreit, announced this at a briefing on January 6, Ukrinform reports.
"As for the Marder, we are talking about one battalion, approximately 40 vehicles. These 40 units should be transferred to Ukraine in the first quarter," said the spokesman.
Regarding where these machines will come from – from the Bundeswehr's stocks, the military industry, or those planned for "circle exchange" – the matter will be decided later on Friday, the spokesman added. At the same time, the issue of ammunition is being resolved.
He noted that training to control these machines would take about eight weeks and be conducted in Germany, just as the Americans would train Ukrainians to manage the Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, which were announced together with the German package.
The same package referred to the Patriot system, which Berlin would provide in addition to the promised US system. Training will also be held in the United States and Germany, respectively. The battery transfer is scheduled for the 1st quarter.
Hebestreit called the planned deliveries "very new in quality" and suggested that one of the international partners may also "take steps in this direction" in the coming weeks.
A federal government representative noted that Germany, the United States, and France had been discussing the possibility of supplying armored vehicles for several weeks. Still, the French announced their light tanks a day ahead of schedule. He emphasized that the assessment and analysis of the "very dynamic situation" on the battlefield is carried out constantly and determines what exactly Ukraine needs. The Allies concluded that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would need Western-style BMPs before spring when the relative lull on the front ended. At the same time, Hebestreit suggested that the partners are helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare a spring counteroffensive.
Reference
Germany decided to hand over the Marder BMP and the Patriot battery to Ukraine, which was announced on January 5 after telephone talks between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden, who, for his part, announced new aid from the United States.
