Ukraine to get 20 Marders, Gepard ammo from Germany- report

Germany’s federal defence ministry has commissioned the defence company Rheinmetall to prepare twenty Marder infantry fighting vehicles to be sent to Ukraine, German broadcaster RND reports.

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Rheinmetall announced on Tuesday it had received an order for 20 Marder vehicles, to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of July.

They come on top of 40 Marders already delivered to Ukraine, 20 of them by Rheinmetall and the rest from Bundeswehr stocks.

In addition, Rheinmetall is offering 60 more Marders, which still have to be repaired.

Also to be shipped by the end of July is the first batch of 10,000 rounds of 35-millimetre ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft system, which Ukraine urgently needs. In total, Rheinmetall has a contract for the delivery of 300,000 rounds.

The Marder has been used by the Bundeswehr since the early 1970s. It is gradually being replaced by newer Puma infantry fighting vehicles. For Ukraine, Rheinmetall is refurbishing old materiel so that they are suitable for front-line use.