The first Leopard 2 tanks delivered to Ukraine and damaged in its fight against Russia have been repaired in Lithuania and will soon return to the battlefield, the Baltic country said.
"Lithuania consistently supports Ukraine's fight for independence and not only sends military aid, but also helps with the repair of Leopard tanks," said Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas.
The Leopard 2 tanks were repaired in a maintenance centre for combat vehicles in Lithuania, established in the summer by two major German arms manufacturers, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall.
The repaired tanks tested at the Gaižiūnai Training Area in Lithuania and are expected to be transported back to Ukraine at the beginning of January.
"What can I say? A powerful tank," said Anusauskas on Friday after a short test drive.
Repairs to the tanks damaged during combat operations began in October.
"We have all kinds of damage from direct hits, mines, drone attacks and also water damage," said Sebastian Dietz, of Lithuania Defense Services (LDS), the company established by KMW and Rheinmetall.
In some cases, this is combat damage that has never been seen before, both to the body of the tank and to the turret.
After much hesitation, Germany handed over Leopard 2 A6 tanks to Ukraine in March. Other European partners also promised deliveries to Ukraine, which has been defending itself against Russia's war of aggression for almost 22 months.
Neither Anušauskas nor Dietz wanted to reveal how many Leopard 2 tanks are to be repaired in Lithuania. Both pointed out that this also depends on the Ukrainian side.
The maintenance centre, where the self-propelled howitzers supplied by Germany to Ukraine were previously serviced, is geared towards the Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 variants. It is almost the only hub in Europe for this, said Dietz. Meanwhile, the Leopard 2A4 variant is repaired in a tank workshop in Poland.
