Switzerland has maintained a strict policy of neutrality for more than 200 years. But critics suggest it is actually aiding Russia by its refusal to allow nearly 100 Swiss-owned Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks to Ukraine. Confounding matters, the German-produced tanks are actually sitting unused in Italy, out in the open and exposed to the elements.
Recent photos taken by RSI News showed that the tanks were draped with tarps but otherwise essentially left to rot.
In other words, the Cold War-era tanks, which Kyiv desperately needs, aren’t even in Switzerland, and the tanks’ owner — the Swiss state-owned arms manufacturer Ruag AG — was ready to sell the tanks. Several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark, planned to purchase these tanks from Ruag and deliver them to Ukraine. The arms maker submitted an application with Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.
However, in June, Bern blocked the transfer of the 96 MBTs back to German-based Rheinmetall AG for refurbishment.
“Priority was thus given to aspects of Switzerland’s neutrality policy and its reliability as a constitutional state,” the Swiss government said via a statement. “The Federal Council has come to the conclusion that the sale of the 96 tanks is not possible on the basis of current law. In particular, such a sale would be contrary to the War Material Act and would entail an adjustment of the neutrality policy.”
Other Leopard Tanks Still Heading for Ukraine
Even as Switzerland stands by its policy, other Leopard 1 MBTs have been sent to Ukraine. Earlier this year, the governments of Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands announced a joint effort to purchase at least 100 Leopard 1A5 tanks from the firms Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft mbH and Rheinmetall.
In May, Berlin committed to sending an additional 30 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine.
Capable MBT Despite Its Age
The Kampfpanzer Leopard 1 MBT was designed by Porsche and manufactured by Krauss-Maffei in West Germany, entering service in 1965. Production ended in 1984 when it was replaced with the Leopard 2.
It has been asked how Ukraine could put these tanks to work. But as reported last week, Ukraine’s military is employing T-64 tanks to aid in the clearing of minefields. Russia has laid tens of thousands of mines — so many, in fact, that they could take decades to clear when the fighting finally comes to an end.
The more immediate issue is that the minefields have slowed down Kyiv’s counteroffensive significantly. The Leopard 1 could be used in a similar role as the T-64, serving in a vanguard to clear the mines and allow the more capable Leopard 2 and British-made Challenger MBTs to break through Russian positions.
War of Tank Attrition
Just as Russia is also employing older tanks, which have proven suitable in a defensive role, the Leopard 1s would be capable war machines, able to hold current positions while more advanced MBTs perform offensive operations elsewhere.
Simply put, in a war of attrition, where each side has lost hundreds and likely thousands of tanks, an additional 96 Leopard 1s could go a long way. Instead, those Cold War-era tanks will be left to rust away in Italy.
NATO Leopard 2 Tank
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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