Ukraine received old armored personnel carriers from Germany at prices that are three times higher than market prices – Bild
Germany has supplied Ukraine with armored personnel carriers, which are suitable for work in the rear, but useless in combat conditions. They were chosen as the most cost-effective option. As a result, Ukraine paid three times the market price.
In the investigation by Bild military observer Julian Repke says that at the end of May 2023, the German government announced the supply of 66 APC armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, manufactured by the German concern FFG. These APCs weighing 10 tons were developed in the United States and are produced in various countries under an American license. Deliveries began in October, and the Armed Forces received 48 vehicles in total.
“According to Bild, they turned out to be completely unsuitable for the front line in Ukraine and for use in combat conditions in general. They have a thin skin, no anti-mine and fragmentation armor against artillery, rocket and mortar fire. The APCs supplied by APC only protect against handguns and are suitable for rear operations,” the publication writes.
According to Bild expert Julian Repke, the German Ministry of Defense initially chose between lightweight machines from FFG and heavy Fuchs from Rheinmetall, and the former was chosen “as the most cost-effective solution, which is also quickly available.”
According to Bild, the German Defense Ministry refers to Kyiv, saying that “Ukraine did not request enhanced mine protection at the time.” At the same time, one Ukrainian official told BILD that “of course, we would like vehicles with mine protection,” but “the German side did not offer them.”
Bild’s investigation also revealed that the German company FFG transferred the order for all 66 vehicles to the American contractor The Armored Group (TAG). As a result, all APCs were assembled at the TAG plant in the UAE. From there, the armored vehicles were delivered to Ukraine only with a stop in Germany, so no APCs were assembled in Germany.
“In addition, there were no real savings. The prices of the fleet were overstated by three times: TAG’s APC armored vehicles cost about 200,000 euros on the world market, and the German Defense Ministry paid 600,000 euros for them,” the publication notes.
“Saved at the cost of human lives” – German experts’ opinion on the Bild investigation.
As military expert Carlo Masala told Bild, such a lightly armored version of the APC is unlikely to protect against the heavy fire these vehicles are exposed to at the front.
“If it turns out that only a lightly armored version was delivered to Ukraine, it will be a pure procurement scandal. They saved money at the cost of human lives,” he emphasized.
Bundestag deputy and CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter drew attention to the fact that the German authorities had significantly overpaid for this procurement and called for both an internal investigation by the German Ministry of Defense and an external audit by the Accounting Chamber.
“If it turns out that armored vehicles of poor quality were purchased and delivered to Ukraine at a price almost three times higher than the usual market price, this is doubly problematic. First, the scarce transitional funds are being burned unnecessarily. Secondly, it is done on the shoulders and at the expense of Ukrainian soldiers,” said Kiesewetter.
