Spain will train 55 Ukrainian soldiers in the use of the 'Leopard'

BRUSELAS, 14 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, has announced this Tuesday that the Spanish Armed Forces will train 55 Ukrainian soldiers in handling the 'Leopard' battle tanks that Spain has promised to send to Ukraine, although it has evaded specifying the total number. .

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the meeting in Brussels of allied ministers who support Ukraine, Robles explained that Spain will receive between 50 and 55 Ukrainian troops at the end of this week who will be specifically instructed in the tank that Spain promised to deploy together with a series of countries at the end of January.

The minister has evaded confirming the final number of 'Leopards' that Spain will provide, but has indicated that the tanks and trained crews may be ready by the end of March. "As important as the number of tanks that are sent is the training of the crews and maintenance. This is closely linked," she stressed.

Robles has insisted that the review and fine-tuning of the 'Leopard' 2A4 that Spain plans to send to Ukraine continues, since some of them are in a "lamentable state" after more than a decade stored and unused in a ship from Zaragoza.

A coalition of countries, of which Spain is a part, has been announcing its contributions to the Ukrainian Army, although in the Spanish case its contribution is still pending confirmation while the Santa Bárbara company is already working on the repair and rehabilitation of five battle tanks Leopard 2A4, as confirmed to Europa Press by military sources.

The shipment will be made "with prudence, discretion and always in coordination with partners and allies", has defended the person in charge of Defense, who has indicated that the final figure for this heavy weapon will have to do with the repair and coordinated work with the allies, although Spain has already decided that it will contribute the Leopard 2A4 model, compared to other groups of countries that choose to deliver Leopard 1 or the Soviet T-72 tank and the post-Soviet PT-91.

"Within its possibilities and availability, fully integrated and coordinated with the allied countries, Spain is going to send battle tanks," Robles has settled.

On the other hand, regarding the supply of combat aircraft that the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, has requested during his tour of Europe that took him to London, Paris and Brussels, the Spanish minister has ruled out the shipment since Spain does not have the F16 that Kiev claims.

In this regard, the military coalition for Ukraine formed by NATO members advocates prudence and rules out taking the step for now, pointing to the risk of escalation and after recalling that it remains to be seen if Russia uses its air force against Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has insisted that the priority right now is to send tanks and ammunition, noting that at the moment the fighters are not an "urgent issue". "The issue of combat aircraft is not the most urgent issue, but it is an ongoing discussion and we have consultations between allies about the type of systems that must be provided to Ukraine," he said when asked about this issue.