Repeated delays to the delivery of hundreds of NATO armored vehicles to Ukraine may be down to American and German red tape, according to a new report by the BILD newspaper.
Germany has earmarked MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) armored vehicles for the Ukrainian military, which were due to be delivered in multiple tranches beginning in January of this year, BILD reported, citing documents it acquired but has not published.
Kyiv is desperately lobbying for more Western military aid as its troops face intense Russian pressure all along the 900-mile frontline. Moscow's forces appear to have the momentum, and Ukrainian commanders have repeatedly complained that they lack the munitions and weapons needed to defeat Russian attacks.
Germany has been one of Ukraine's most significant backers, although the country—and primarily its chancellor, Olaf Scholz—have been regularly criticized for hesitance in providing advanced capabilities like tanks and cruise missiles.
Berlin's latest package of assistance—announced in March—was worth around $523 million and included nearly 200 vehicles and 10,000 artillery shells.
German authorities, the newspaper wrote, had agreed to finance the delivery to a total amount of around $335 million, with the vehicles to be supplied by German defense company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH (FFG). The firm acquires essential components for the vehicles from the U.S.
Twenty vehicles were due to be provided each month from January to October, BILD said, making a total of 200. But the delivery schedule has been pushed back repeatedly, with the first deliveries delayed until May and then again until June. None of the MRAPs have thus far been delivered, the German Defense Ministry confirmed to the publication.
Now, seemingly due to delivery issues, Berlin also appears to have downgraded the expected number of MRAPs from 200 to 100, BILD reported. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in March that 100 "armored infantry vehicles" will be provided to Kyiv, with all expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
Citing unnamed ministry sources, BILD reported that the deliveries may have been delayed for two possible reasons. The first is "restrictive export permits from the USA to Germany," which have denied FFG the key American components needed to assemble the vehicles.
Another explanation is that the MRAPs have not yet been awarded the certification of their explosive-resistant capabilities, which is required before export.
A spokesperson for Germany's defense ministry declined to comment to Newsweek, saying: "For reasons of operational security, we generally only report on material deliveries to support the Ukraine after the deliveries have been completed."
Newsweek cannot independently verify BILD's report and has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry by email to request comment.
Update 04/23/24 at 6:12 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include a response from the German defense ministry.
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