Leopard tanks stranded in Italian depot amid Swiss neutrality dispute
Nearly a hundred Leopard 1 tanks have been stored in an Italian warehouse for several years. These machines were retired from service in the Italian army and then sold to the Swiss company RUAG. Attempts to transfer them to Ukraine have been blocked.
The potential transfer of 96 Leopard 1 tanks belonging to RUAG to Ukraine was widely discussed in 2023. The Swiss company wanted to sell the equipment to Germany, where it could be refurbished and then sent to the front. However, Bern blocked such a transaction, citing Switzerland's neutrality, which not only does not support Ukraine with military equipment but also prohibits re-export to Ukraine and prefers to scrap unnecessary weapons.
Nearly a hundred tanks under tarpaulins
Observers specialising in OSINT (open-source intelligence) point to satellite images of the Italian warehouse where the disputed Leopard 1 tanks are stored. The materials leave no doubt that the machines have remained in the same place for several years. They are clearly visible as they are stored outdoors, protected only by tarpaulins.
Leopard 1A5 still useful at the front
The war in Ukraine has shown that even older tanks are useful. This also applies to the German Leopards. In Ukraine, Leopard 2A4s from the 1980s are serving successfully, as well as Leopard 1A5s from the 1990s, which are representatives of the last serial upgrade of the Leopard 1 tank. It is this type of construction that could strengthen the Ukrainian army if Swiss authorities had not blocked the transfer.
Leopard 1A5s are equipped with a 105 mm calibre gun. Importantly, they offer the EMES 18 fire control system, which is derived from a similar solution in the Leopard 2. In addition to a classic optical sight, they also provide the crew with a thermal sight and a ballistic computer, resulting in significantly better situational awareness on the battlefield than Soviet-era tanks without thermal imaging.
Each of these tanks weighs nearly 40,000 kilograms and offers a range of about 600 kilometres. Armour, which is weak by modern standards, is the main problem for Ukrainians. They are attempting to mitigate these shortcomings by installing reactive armour blocks and anti-drone nets.
