Escalation: NATO Spain Sending More Tanks, Military Vehicles to Ukraine

The Leopard 2 main battle tank
Getty Images
Chris Tomlinson

Spanish Minister of Defence Margarita Robles has announced that her country will be providing an additional four Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to Ukraine, along with more infantry vehicles.

Minister Robles announced that the four new Leopard tanks would be sent to Ukraine following the first batch of six tanks, which are being prepared to be shipped to aid the Ukrainian war effort against Russian forces.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had pledged to send the additional tanks during his second visit to Ukraine since the outbreak of the Russian invasion several weeks prior, with only Germany promising to deliver more Leopards to Ukraine, El Mundo reports.

Alongside the Leopards, Spain will be sending a new batch of TOA M-113 infantry vehicles — but so far no specific number has been released.

Spain has trained 55 Ukrainian personnel on operating the Leopard tanks already, equal to around ten crews.

 

Countries across Europe and North America have sent equipment and ammunition to Ukraine over the course of the war but the impact on the militaries of those countries is beginning to take its toll.

Britain’s Defence Select Committee warned earlier this month that the country was running “dangerously low” on ammunition after sending military aid to Ukraine.

“It is clear that the UK and its NATO Allies have allowed ammunition stockpiles to dwindle to dangerously low levels,” the committee report said, adding that it could take over a decade to replace ammunition stocks.

The new supply of Spanish tanks comes as Ukrainian forces are on the back foot in the eastern city of Bakhmut, with Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) stating that the PMC Wagner group has taken around half of the city.

Ukraine has also suffered large air strikes in recent weeks, with one attack earlier this month seeing Ukrainian infrastructure pounded by 90 missiles and drones in a single day, killing at least six people.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.

 

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