In this file photo taken on February 14, 2022 a tank with mounted howitzers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr drives to be loaded onto a heavy-duty transporter in the Hindenburg barracks in Munster, northern Germany. — AFP pic
BERLIN, May 6 — Germany will send seven self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, the defence ministry said today, ramping up deliveries of heavy weapons to help Kyiv battle Russia’s invasion.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000s (armoured howitzer 2000) are from the Bundeswehr’s maintenance stock and not from the pool currently in use by the army.
They come on top of another five howitzers of the same model that the Netherlands will be delivering to Ukraine, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said during a visit to Slovakia.
The German army has about 100 howitzer 2000s in its stocks, but only 40 are combat ready.
No delivery dates were provided.
Ukrainian soldiers are due to begin training in Germany from next week on using the howitzers.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has been under fire for dragging its feet on arming Ukraine compared to other Western allies.
After limiting weapon deliveries to mainly defensive armaments, Berlin finally agreed in late April to send tanks. — AFP