Denmark Sends 10 Leopard 1 Tanks to Ukraine

Denmark's Ministry of Defense has deployed ten Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine, with additional tanks en route.

Training has been ongoing since spring and occurs in Germany. Danish tank instructors collaborate with German counterparts to train and hand over tanks to Ukrainian crews.

In February 2023, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, in partnership with the Netherlands and Germany, committed to supplying Ukraine with Leopard 1A5 tanks through the European EUMAM initiative.

Arpe Nielsen, a senior Danish army official, emphasized the significance of this effort, with Danish instructors providing initial crew training before German instructors take over. The training involves coordination with translators from various countries and German tank industry representatives. It's worth noting that the training course is expedited compared to standard procedures.

The Danish Defense Minister underscored the importance of Danish tank instructors' contributions to Ukraine's defense, with Denmark and Germany jointly providing nearly 100 tanks. This support, coupled with the training of Ukrainian tank crews, strengthens Ukraine's defense capabilities.

The Danish instructors predominantly hail from the Jydske Dragon regiment, with a few serving in other Danish army units. Some retired Danish armed forces personnel have even temporarily left their civilian jobs to assist in training Ukrainian crews.