
To disputes over the supply of NATO troops to the Ukrainian troops tanks added controversy regarding the French Leclerc. The German press decided to analyze why Macron suddenly “turned on the back” in terms of deliveries of French tanks, although initially he was almost the first to initiate the start of deliveries of NATO tanks to Ukraine.
In Spiegel, the authors write that representatives of the command of the country's armored forces could explain to the French president that Leclerc tanks require extremely complex maintenance, especially when it comes to such maintenance abroad.
German journalists:
For Emmanuel Macron, it's not about any tank supply taboos, but about the fact that Leclercs are fragile monsters, as they are often called. They are powerful and tough, but they need incredible maintenance to keep them fighting.
The publication recalls that earlier the French transferred a company of their Leclercs to Romania. As a result, it turns out that 13 platoons of technical personnel with a total number of about 8 military personnel were formed for 200 tanks.
Mirror:
The French military themselves say this: while one Leclerc is in operation, two are under repair.
In total, France has 226 of these tanks. According to the German publication, no more than 60 percent of them are fully combat-ready vehicles, and the rest are used for training purposes and are often repaired.
"Der Spiegel" claims that Paris, if it delivers tanks to Ukraine, then no more than 25 units.
From the material:
And if they put no more than 25, then why train Ukrainians, given that French tanks are fundamentally different from both Leopards and Abrams?