Unknown country bought 50 decommissioned Leopard 1 tanks from Belgium for transfer to Ukraine - media

An unknown country has bought from Belgium 50 previously decommissioned German Leopard 1 tanks for further transfer to Ukraine. The first batch of tanks went to Ukrainian territory on Monday, August 7.

This was reported by the Belgian publication Business AM with reference to its own sources.

According to the publication, these are Leopard 1 tanks, which the Belgian army decommissioned a few years ago.

All this time, the tanks were stored in a warehouse owned by the private company OIP Land Systems.

Knowledgeable interlocutors of the publication said that the tanks were bought by an unknown country for further transfer to Ukraine. There is no information about what country it is.

The interlocutors of the publication added that the first batch of purchased Leopard 1 tanks was sent to Ukraine on Monday, August 7.

However, before entering Ukrainian territory, the tanks will visit Germany and Italy, where they allegedly have to install new weapons systems.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, at the beginning of June this year it became known that the Swiss company Ruag AG sent an application to the country's government for the export of almost 100 Leopard 1 tanks.

We later reported that the Swiss government banned Ruag AG from selling Leopard 1 tanks for their further use in Ukraine.