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»Marder« armored personnel carrier
Photo: Philipp Schulze / picture alliance / dpa
Germany is stepping up its arms aid to Ukraine.
The federal government wants to supply the country attacked by Russia with infantry fighting vehicles of the "Marder" type and a "Patriot" anti-aircraft battery.
This emerges from a joint press statement by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Biden after a phone call between the two politicians.
The United States, for its part, wants to provide Ukraine with Bradley tanks.
No figure is given in the press release;
According to SPIEGEL information, Germany wants to deliver up to 40 "Marders" to the Ukraine to fully equip a Panzergrenadier battalion.
The "martens" could be old models from industry stocks that are currently being refurbished.
There could also be models from the Bundeswehr stocks, which will be replaced in the coming months by models from the repair industry.
According to the statement, it is planned that Ukrainian units should be trained by the Bundeswehr.
The training can be activated at any time, according to Berlin.
The "Marder" manufacturer Rheinmetall had around 1,000 units of the infantry fighting vehicle in stock last summer.
Greece gradually received 40 of these in the course of the "ring exchange" and in exchange gave Soviet tanks to the Ukraine.
According to SPIEGEL information, the remaining 60 martens are still available, but would first have to be processed.
From industry circles it was said that Rheinmetall could get 40 Marders back on track in the next seven months.
It may be possible to take some models out of the ring exchange and redirect them to Ukraine.
More soon at SPIEGEL.de
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