OSLO, NORWAY — Today, March 20th, the Ministry of Defense of Norway, through the Norwegian Armed Forces, announced that officially eight Leopard 2A4 tanks have now been transferred to Ukraine. Four armored personnel carriers and one counter-battery radar were sent along with them.
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The Norwegians report that the equipment was transported by An-124-100M of the Antonov transport airlines, they also add that the transferred machines are already in Ukraine.
“On January 26 this year, it was announced that Norway would participate in the international donation of tanks to Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, it was decided that Norway would donate eight Leopard 2 tanks and up to four support vehicles. The tanks are already in place, and staff training also takes place in Poland under the auspices of the EU,” the press release said.
The Norwegian government believes “it is absolutely right to support Ukraine.” The press release also says that Russia should not win with its aggression against Ukraine, and this is important for Norway. These are the words of the Minister of Defence, Mr. Björn Arild Gram after he announced the transportation of the tanks to Ukraine.
‘Leopard will help Ukraine’
According to the analysis of the Norwegian armed forces, the Leopard 2 tanks will help the Ukrainian army. The tanks, Norway says, are an important part of the so-called tactical cooperation system, which is needed to be able to mount larger ground offensives. The tank has mobility and can move quickly over long distances in the terrain, has its own protection in the form of armor so that it can survive in a combat environment, and can quickly engage targets up to 4000 meters.
“These features are critical for a department to be able to take back positions from an adversary. For Ukraine, the tank donation will be critical to their ability to conduct offensive operations and retake lands occupied by Russia.” These are the words of Lieutenant Colonel Lars Jansen, who is the commander of the armored battalion in Settermoen in Troms. According to Norwegian sources, Lt. Col. Jansen has a deep knowledge of tanks.
In addition to sending eight tanks and additional ground equipment, Norway is assisting Ukraine with training processes. The country has provided instructors for a multinational contribution to train Ukrainian soldiers in explosives disposal.
Knowledge transfer
Oslo has also committed to training Ukrainian specialists in sanitation, marksmanship, and team leader training. These pieces of training are expected to start this year. They will be held in several stages, they say in Norway. The Ministry of Defense of the Scandinavian country recalls that Norwegian experts have been sent to Great Britain as early as 2022. Together with their British colleagues, they lead the training of Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the island.
The transport of the eight tanks was carried out under the control of the Norwegian Armed Forces. Many units were involved, the ministry says. The organization was at a high level, and the set plans and tasks were followed. “I am proud that the operation went according to plan and that the vans and ammunition are now at their destination, ready for important operations,” said Major General Lars Christian Aamod, head of the logistics organization of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
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