The Croatian government agreed last year to sell 30 M-84 tanks and 30 M-80 armored vehicles to the German government, which would then donate them to Ukraine. The funds received for these 60 military vehicles will be partially used by Croatia to purchase new German Leopard 2A8 tanks, with a significant additional payment required, reports N1.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced last week that Germany had already delivered the tanks and armored vehicles acquired from Croatia to Ukraine by the end of last year. This was part of last year’s agreement tied to Croatia’s purchase of Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany. Pistorius made the announcement while unveiling another donation of German military equipment to Ukraine.
“We are contributing to the protection of the largest logistical hub supporting Ukraine. To this end, we will deploy two Patriot missile units and a total of 200 soldiers to Poland in the coming weeks,” Pistorius said, adding, “This is not all.” According to Večernji list, he also mentioned the provision of 50 guided missiles for Iris-T air defense systems.
At the end of last year, Germany delivered 30 M-84A4 tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, which it had purchased from Croatia. These vehicles, originally developed in the former Yugoslavia as counterparts to Soviet designs, include the M-84, a Yugoslav version of the T-72 tank, and the M-80, modeled after the Soviet BMP-1.
Ukraine’s armed forces, already familiar with Soviet versions of these vehicles, are expected to integrate the Croatian models seamlessly and put them into use quickly. The 60 vehicles will be sufficient to equip two battalions, or half a brigade.
While Ukraine has some capacity to produce and refurbish military vehicles, most are sourced from international allies. Since the war began, Kyiv’s allies have pledged and delivered nearly 1,000 tanks and 1,500 armored vehicles. However, battlefield losses remain high, necessitating a continuous supply.
Croatia previously had around 70 M-84 tanks, and the plan is to replace them all with modern Western models. The acquisition of up to 50 new Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany marks the beginning of this modernization effort.