Germany delays delivery of MRAP vehicles to Ukraine — report
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Germany had to revise a previous plan to deliver 400 MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles to Ukraine, substantially delaying the timeline, German newspaper Bild reported on April 22.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on March 19 that Germany would supply Ukraine with 100 "protected infantry vehicles." The ministry clarified that the vehicles in question are indeed MRAPs, all set to be delivered in 2024.
According to the journalists, Ukraine has signed a contract worth EUR 315 million ($336 million) with the German company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH, funded by Berlin, for the delivery of 400 vehicles.
Citing a German defense ministry document from September 2023, Bild reports the company was supposed to deliver batches of 20 MRAPs monthly from January through October 2024, amounting to 200 vehicles over ten months. However, "none of this ambitious plan has come to fruition," the article states.
A ministry representative confirmed to Bild that no MRAPs have been delivered yet. Deliveries are now planned across several phases throughout 2024, according to the official.
The report suggests that the delivery schedule was later altered, and now only 100 MRAPs are planned for delivery in 2024, with the start date pushed from January to May. Another classified document referenced by Bild notes the 100 vehicles promised by Pistorius in March are now scheduled to be transferred starting in June.
The delays are likely related to MRAP production. Flensburger Fahrzeugbau does not manufacture the primary components but imports them from the United States. The 400 vehicles are modified BATT UMG armored vehicles produced by The Armored Group, a U.S. company.
The ministry stated that deliveries are delayed due to "restrictive U.S. export permits to Germany." Off the record, officials said that the vehicles' mine protection level has yet to be certified. Meanwhile, the company told Bild that MRAP's protection level had already been certified but is now "under review."
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
