T-80U main battle tank of the Cyprus National Guard
POSTED ON FRIDAY, 20 JANUARY 2023 15:36
In the spring of 2022, the Americans requested the Cyprus Government to donate TOR-M1 and S-300 air defense missile systems [iEpikaira: Προφανώς εννοεί τους ελληνικούς S-300], as well as T-80U main battle tanks, BMP-3 IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) and Mi-35 attack helicopters. But Cyprus poses one condition, communicated by its foreign minister Ioannis Kasoulides to Jens Plöttner, foreign and security advisor to German chancellor Olav Scholz: the quick reception of Leopard 2s in exchange for the donation of its T-80Us. [iEpikaira: Αυτά συμφωνήθηκαν στο Βερολίνο; ΕΔΩ] No reply from Scholz to date.
The Cypriot government is convinced that a quick replacement of its T-80Us by Leopard 2s would be possible only if these Leopard 2s come from friendly Greece. Indeed, the Greek (Hellenic) army already operates 353 Leopard 2 MBTs: 183 Leopard 2A4GRs dating back to the 1980s but currently in the upgrading process to the Leopard 2A7 HEL standard, in addition to 170 Leopard 2A6 HEL.
But Greece wants first to get Leopard 2s in exchange to avoid depletion of its arsenal amid rising tensions with Turkey (also equipped with Leopard 2s in the waiting of its future indigenous Altay MBTs). No other supply solution is taken into consideration by Cyprus, as it would take too much time if to be supplied by Germany.
T-80U of the Cyprus National Guard
According to the Military Balance 2021, the Cyprus army has a total of 82 Soviet-made T-80U MBTs, an improved version of the T-80, equipped with a modernized turret, Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor, improved gun sight, and 9M119 Svir anti-tank missile system.
The main armament of the T-80U consists of a 125mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun with a thermal sleeve that can fire between 6 and 8 rounds per minute. The tank is fitted with an automatic loading system with 28 rounds ready to fire. A total of 45 shells are carried in the tank. The main gun can fire the 9M119 Refleks (NATO designation: AT-11 `Sniper') semi-automatic laser beam-riding missile out to a maximum range of 5,000 m. The secondary armament consists of a 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7mm heavy machine gun mounted on the commander’s hatch.
The T-80U is fitted with the Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor providing protection against both APFSDS and HEAT attacks over the frontal arc.
[iEpikaira: Η είδηση μεταδίδεται με επιφύλαξη. Παρα ταύτα, το λέμε εδώ και μήνες ότι η άρση του εμπάργκο δεν "προέκυψε" τυχαία. Περισσότερα ΕΔΩ και ΕΔΩ!]
Source: https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_january_2023_global_security_army_industry/cyprus_ready_to_give_its_t-80u_mbts_to_ukraine_only_in_exchange_for_greek_leopard_2a4s.html
Ukraine looks at Cyprus as Germany stalls
Leopard tanks make headlines as Nicosia and Athens examine convoluted conditions for Russian equipment to Kiev
23 JANUARY 2023 - 11:15
Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides is in Brussels this week where he will discuss with his EU counterparts a number of issues including Ukraine, whose president has slammed Germany for stalling on delivering Leopard tanks that Cyprus also wants according to military websites in what appears to be a convoluted arrangement.
Ukrainian President Volomydyr Zelensky has been calling out on Germany to send Leopard tanks to Kiev after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suggested Berlin wanted to deliberate more carefully on the ramifications of a decision that could escalate the ongoing war between Russia and the NATO-backed former Soviet state.
But Berlin announced on Sunday it “would not stand in the way” after Polish officials warned they were ready to send their own German-made Leopards to Ukraine without permission from the Deutschland.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made the statement to a French television network after Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Warsaw was willing to supply Kiev with Leopard tanks without Berlin’s permission.
'The Cypriot government is convinced that a quick replacement of its T-80Us by Leopard 2s would be possible only if these Leopard 2s come from friendly Greece'
Ukraine is not the only country that has asked for Leopards.
Last October Greece had already received a small batch of German infantry fighting vehicles in what was reported as a swap deal between the two countries to assist Ukraine, fueling further rumors that a similar arrangement was in the works in Nicosia.
But Athens is also asking Berlin for more Leopard 2’s to prevent a depletion of its arsenal.
According to popular military website Army Recognition, Cyprus is prepared to transfer its Russian-made T-80U tanks to Ukraine in exchange for Leopard 2 from Greece.
“The Cypriot government is convinced that a quick replacement of its T-80Us by Leopard 2s would be possible only if these Leopard 2s come from friendly Greece,” AR wrote on Friday.
Cyprus has been asked by the United States and allies to transfer a wide range of Russian military equipment to Ukraine, with Nicosia asking for western replacements in return.
Last year Nicosia hinted at being open to the possibility of transferring military equipment to Ukraine but only through third countries and on the condition that Washington would completely lift a US arms embargo on Cyprus, a condition fulfilled in October by US President Joe Biden but with a Russian caveat.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has reiterated the position that there would be no direct transfer but left the door open for indirect transfers when he added “if there is a country that wants to replace our armaments with modern and equivalent systems that could be part of a decisive deterrent force, then this is something completely different.”
Washington had been calling on a number of countries to provide Ukraine with Russian-made weapons in order to make it easier for Ukrainian soldiers familiar with Soviet-era systems to hit the ground running as they fight the Russians.
Baerbock, who met Kasoulides in Berlin earlier this month, has been echoing calls by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, a fellow Green party member, who had previously stated “Germany should not stand in the way when other countries make decisions to support Ukraine, regardless of what decision Germany makes.”
Source: https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/ukraine-looks-at-cyprus-as-germany-stalls
