Learning To Operational Leopard Tanks In Germany, Ukrainian Army Compared Mercedes To Soviet Cars

Illustration of Leopard 2 tank training. (Wikimedia Commons/synaxonag)

JAKARTA - A Ukrainian soldier compared Germany's Leopard 2 tank with Mercedes Benz, as he underwent training with the tank ahead of his arrival on the battlefield, hoping the tank would make a breakthrough in the war.

He was among dozens of Ukrainian soldiers trained by Germany with a Leopard 2 simulator, and then immediately drove the tank at its largest military training ground, Munster, before being sent to Ukraine.

Germany last month agreed to supply the tanks, which are considered one of the best in Western arsenals, addressing doubts about sending heavy weapons deemed important by Kyiv to defeat the Russian invasion, but Moscow considers it a dangerous provocation.

"It is very important for us to use this modern weapon wisely, this weapon will bring a breakthrough and in the end we will win," the 57-year-old soldier said.

When asked about the differences between the Western system and the Soviets, he said: "You can imagine the difference between Mercedes and Zhiguli", referring to Soviet cars sold with the brand Lada in the West.

The tank version to be delivered by Germany, produced by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, weighs more than 60 tonnes, has a 120 mm long-barreled rifle and can reach the target at a distance of up to 4 km (2.5 miles).

Last month, Ukraine's foreign minister said he hoped to receive 120 to 140 Western tanks in a "first wave" shipment from a coalition of 12 countries, including the German Leopard 2, with the time needed for training.

Overall, Germany trained several hundred soldiers in various aspects of the war, as part of Europe's efforts to instruct some 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

Another soldier, who is being trained using the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, said the Western system was not much different from the Soviet-made vehicle used by Ukraine.

"We have experience with a similar weapon system... The logic is the same, sometimes we don't even need translators to understand instructors," said the 33-year-old soldier.

Separately, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he was impressed by Ukrainian forces.

"Talking about war is different from seeing the faces of those who... come here straight from the front lines, and who will return there with tanks after they finish their training," he told reporters.

The soldiers worked 12 hours a day, six days a week.

"They are very motivated and eager to gain knowledge... They know they will return to the front line within five weeks," said a German lieutenant colonel in charge of Leopard's training and only named him Peter.

If all goes well and is finished, the two soldiers will return to Ukraine by the end of March.

When asked about how they deal with fear, the 57-year-old man said soldiers had to adapt to that fear.