Leopard 2 tanks complete with crews to be deployed to Ukraine soon – CNN

Ukrainian soldiers have nearly completed their training on Leopard 2 main battle tanks in Munster, Germany, CNN reported on Tuesday, referring to a spokesperson for the Bundeswehr’s special training command.

With training now concluding, it would soon be feasible for Germ any to deploy the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, the spokesperson — who is routinely not named – told CNN. (Germany has promised to give Ukraine 18 of Leopard 2 tanks’ latest A6 model.)

He also unveiled some details of the training:

• The Ukrainian soldiers were “highly motivated” and used the five-week training “more than effectively.”
• They were trained 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week, over the past five weeks. They were trained as drivers, gunners, technicians, commanders and maintenance personnel.
• They were first taught how to maneuver the main battle tank as drivers and commanders (the soldiers said driving the Leopard 2 tanks was like “driving a Mercedes”).
• They completed their final shooting training session Monday, achieving an 82-85% hit rate under combat conditions.

“This is a super result,” the spokesperson said, adding that the simulator shooting training substantially enhanced the soldiers’ progress.

The Bundeswehr’s special training command group aims to train 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers in 2023 after training 1,100 in 2022.