Ukraine already has Leopards, Challengers from West - Reznikov
Leopard and Challenger tanks, as well as a number of armored combat vehicles provided by Western partners, have already been put into service in Ukraine.
Oleksiy Reznikov, the Minister of Defense, said this in an interview broadcast on the United News telethon, Ukrinform reports.
"There are definitely Leopards and there are definitely Challengers. They are already here. Moreover, they are not just there, but our crews have undergone appropriate training and preparation. I had the honor to be in the units and communicate with our guys who have undergone this training, and even had the honor to drive this equipment with the permission of the crew. They are all satisfied," Reznikov said.
According to him, these tanks are heavy but easy to operate.
The minister also noted that not only tanks were put into service, but also Bradley, Marder, Stryker and fighting vehicles such as Humvees, Cougars, Canadian Rochelles and others were sent to reinforce these units.
"I'll tell you a story when I asked the guys who had mastered the Challengers, these are our heroic paratroopers. I said: ‘Guys, how did it go?’. They said: ‘Great’. I said: ‘Can you compare, maybe, Zhiguli and Mercedes, is there such a difference?’ There was a short pause: ‘No, Mr. Minister, it's not even a Mercedes, it's a Rolls-Royce," Reznikov said.
As reported earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO allies and partner countries within the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group have already fulfilled more than 98% of their commitments to supply Ukraine with military equipment and supplies.