The German company "Rheinmetall" plans to create a repair center for Leopard tanks and other military equipment supplied by Berlin in Ukraine at the end of summer.
This was stated by the director of the industrial group Armin Papperger, Reuters reports.
"We are already training Ukrainians in Germany for this work," Papperger noted, adding that Rheinmetall wants to start the repair center after the summer break.
The repair center in Ukraine will reduce the distances the tanks must be transported, although it also poses security concerns: Putinʼs entourage has previously said Moscow will strike at any facility "Rheinmetall" builds in Ukraine.
However, Armin Papperger said at the time that Rheinmetall did not plan to abandon plans to build a plant in Ukraine, despite Russian threats.
- On March 30, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with a delegation of the "Rheinmetall" concern headed by Papperger in Kyiv. Later, "Ukroboronprom" concluded a strategic partnership agreement with the German concern. Papperger said in May that factory workers will build and repair "Rheinmetall" Fuchs armored personnel carriers under license at the new plant.