Germany to Transfer MLRS and APCs to Ukraine, but No Tanks

Germany has announced its intention to transfer 50 Dingo armored personnel carriers (APCs), two Mars II multiple launch rocket systems, and missiles for them to Ukraine, German newspaper Bild reported on Sept. 15.

According to Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht, Germany will transfer armored vehicles to Ukraine for the first time. Dingo APCs should become an alternative to Fuchs APCs.

“The Dingo is an armored and optionally armed vehicle used for patrolling and reconnaissance. The Bundeswehr has more than 500 Dingo vehicles in various versions,” the newspaper writes.

However, it is not yet clear whether the Germans will follow through on their pledge. After all, on Sept. 15, the German government coalition announced its decision not to supply Ukraine with Leopard II tanks, which it had previously agreed to give.

According to Lars Klingbeil, co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, this decision was made because it would take a long time to train Ukrainian soldiers to operate tanks.

Also, according to Klingbeil, during training for operating the Panzerhaubitze 2000, the Ukrainian military themselves asked to be trained longer than planned.

On the same day, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a conference that German weapons played a crucial role in the battle in eastern Ukraine.

“We can say that the very weapons Germany has now provided to Ukraine have been crucial for the development of the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” Scholz said of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled guns, Gepard anti-aircraft guns, and lighter weapons.

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He also noted that Germany will soon supply Ukraine with the latest IRIS-T air defense system, which is not yet in service with the German army.

However, he again did not give a clear answer about the possibility of supplying Marder infantry fighting vehicles. In his opinion, such steps should be coordinated with the allies.

“The position of the entire German government – all its members and the parties that support it – remains that there will be no unilateral actions by Germany,” Scholz said.