Cyprus is ready to send T-80U tanks to Ukraine only in exchange for German Leopards, - mass media
Cyprus announced its readiness to send Soviet-made T-80U tanks to Ukraine in exchange for German Leopards. Cyprus has about 82 such tanks in service.
This is reported by Army Recognition, Censor.NET informs with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
According to the publication, in the spring the American government asked Cyprus to provide Ukraine with Soviet equipment it has in stock. We are talking about TOR-M1 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as T-80U tanks, BMP-3, Mi-35 fighters, and helicopters. Cyprus replied to the German government that it was ready to give Soviet tanks in exchange for Leopard 2. Scholz has not yet received an answer.
In Cyprus, they want tanks to come from friendly Greece, which already has them in service. The Greek arsenal has 170 Leopard 2A and 183 Leopard 2A4GR units, produced in the 1980s, but currently undergoing modernization.
Greece, in turn, wants to get newer Leopard 2s in exchange to avoid depleting its army amid tensions with Turkey.
Cyprus has a total of about 82 T-80U tanks. This is an improved version of the T-80, which has a modernized turret, "Kontakt-5" dynamic protection, an improved sight and is equipped with a 9M119 "Svir" anti-tank missile complex.
