- A German lawmaker says Ukraine is only using a few Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, per Der Spiegel.
- Budget expert Sebastian Schäfer said many of the tanks are left in disrepair due to a lack of parts.
Only a few of the modern Leopard 2 tanks supplied by Germany to Ukraine are still being deployed in the war — largely because spare parts for repairs are lacking, according to a defense budget decision-maker in Germany's parliament.
In a recent letter, Sebastian Schäfer, an economist and member of Germany's Green Party, urged weapons manufacturers to improve the repair process and supply of parts for the damaged tanks, German outlet Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
Schäfer said he visited a repair workshop in Lithuania with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in late December and found that repairs were taking too long, per Der Spiegel.
As a result, only a "very small number" of Leopard tanks delivered by Germany are still operational in Ukraine, according to Schäfer.
He highlighted an "urgent need for action" to bolster the spare parts supply, saying that Ukrainian forces also caused further damage to their Leopard tanks by attempting repairs.
To solve this, Schäfer said, Germany should discuss more training or better instructions for Ukrainian mechanics.
The German politician is one of the Bundestag's top decision-makers on the defense budget, serving in the parliament's budget committee and finance committee. Berlin has placed heavy emphasis on military spending since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, pledging 100 billion euros to strengthen its forces.
After deliberating for months, Germany agreed in early 2023 to allow a European coalition to send 88 Leopard 1 tanks and about 80 advanced Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Leopard 1 tanks are Cold War-era tanks that Germany stopped using in 2000, while Leopard 2s are believed to be among some of the most advanced tanks used in the war by Ukraine.
However, weapons manufacturers have struggled to deliver the full arsenal they promised, largely due to supply issues and because some Leopard 1 tanks first needed refurbishment.
Ukraine even rejected 10 Leopard 1 tanks because they arrived in poor condition and Kyiv's technicians didn't know how to fix them, Der Spiegel reported in September.
According to Der Spiegel, Germany has given Ukraine 18 Leopard 2 tanks. Many of them have since been damaged in battle or significantly worn out from extended combat use, per the outlet.
As Ukraine's second winter of the war sets in, its forces have started using Leopard 2 tanks defensively as long-range artillery instead of attack vehicles, Agence France-Presse reported.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.