Ten Danish Leopard 1 tanks already in Ukraine

8 September, 2023 Danish instructors train Ukrainian tank crews in Germany. Photo credits: Nora Stone. Ten Danish Leopard 1 tanks are already in Ukraine, with more on the way.

The website of the Danish Ministry of Defense reported on this. The work that has been going on since spring has not stopped. The training takes place in Germany, where Danish tank instructors, in cooperation with German instructors, train crews and hand over tanks to Ukraine.

In February 2023, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that Denmark, along with the Netherlands and Germany, would provide Ukraine with a large number of Leopard 1A5 tanks as part of the European EUMAM initiative. "This is a very important task. Denmark has sent some of the best tank instructors to Germany to teach the Ukrainians how to make the most of this tanks.

And I have no doubt that this will help them win the defense battle they are fighting now," said Arpe Nielsen, a senior Danish army official.

Danish instructors train Ukrainian tank crews in Germany. Photo credits: Nora Stone.

The Danish instructors are responsible for the first part of the crew training, after which their German colleagues take on work.

READ MORE IN THE ARTICLE: "Leopard 1: Prospects in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The entire process takes place in close cooperation with translators from several countries and representatives of the German tank industry. It is reported that the training course is shortened compared to the standard one.

"There is no doubt that the task performed by Danish tank instructors is of great importance for Ukraine. Together with Germany, Denmark supplies almost 100 tanks to Ukraine. Through the efforts of our skilled and dedicated instructors and the training of Ukrainian tank crews, we ensure that this assistance will turn into another powerful Ukrainian weapon for defense," said the Danish Defense Minister.

Danish instructors train Ukrainian tank crews in Germany.

Photo credits: Nora Stone.

The chief of staff of the Armored Battalion, Major Kim Fonseca, said that Ukrainian crews are very motivated and listen well, so they are easily prepared.

Most of the Danish instructors are soldiers of the Jydske Dragonregiment, but there are also a few who serve in other units of the Danish army.

There are also several instructors who retired from the Danish armed forces but decided to take a leave of absence from their civilian jobs to return to the armed forces and help train Ukrainian crews.