Germany to Send 20 More Marder IFVs to Ukraine
Germany has commissioned Rheinmetall to deliver 20 more Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Ukraine.
The order, estimated to be around 50 million Euros ($53 million), is set to be delivered within the year.
Rheinmetall shared in a press release that it had handed over a three-digit number of Marders to the Ukrainian Armed Forces via direct deliveries and circular exchange programs.
Germany’s armed forces will replace the donated Marders with newer Puma IFVs, bolstering its defenses with updated capabilities while handing over battle-tested equipment to Kyiv.
Maintenance and overhaul for the Marders will take place at Rheinmetall’s facilities in Unterlüß and Kassel.
Germany’s Ongoing Aid
Berlin has provided Ukraine without an estimated 22 billion euros ($24 million) in humanitarian and military aid since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Germany’s defense ministry announced last year that its 2024 budget for the cause will double to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion).
In January, German media reported that the country is currently in talks to have the UK send Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine in exchange for their Taurus cruise missiles.
During the same month, the country also delivered three additional Gepard anti-aircraft guns to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The package included 30,000 air defense tank shells, 2,500 155m artillery shells, mine clearance tanks, reconnaissance drones, border patrol vehicles, and missile protection systems.
Additionally, Germany has also established an armored coalition with Poland under the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which aims to supply the war-torn country with armored vehicles to counter Russia’s troops.
