The government of Germany is negotiating with the arms manufacturer MBDA on the supply of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. This was reported to the Reuters agency by a source in the field of German security.
Germany is not against transferring the Taurus to Ukraine, but if the manufacturer programs them not to hit the territory of Russia. Negotiations between the government and MBDA are now focused on just such a modification. According to experts, it is very easy to technically limit the flight range of the Taurus cruise missile.
According to media reports, the German military has about 600 Taurus missiles in service, about 150 of them are ready for use.
Ukraine asked for Taurus missiles with a range of more than 500 km, which can be launched from fighter jets. They are mainly used to defeat particularly important targets behind enemy lines, such as command bunkers, ammunition and fuel depots, airfields and bridges. Earlier, long-range cruise missiles were transferred to Ukraine by Great Britain (Storm Shadow) and France (SCALP).
- On August 6, a deputy of the German Chancellorʼs Social Democratic Party spoke out for the transfer of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. This meant that the front against the transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine in Scholzʼs party was collapsing.
- In June, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius again denied the possibility of the future transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.