The German Ministry of Defense and representatives of the companies that manufacture this equipment have been in contact to study the possibility of reprogramming these air-to-surface cruise missiles – with a range of more than 500 kilometers – to limit their capabilities, according to the German weekly, cited by international agencies.
Industry sources admit that this adjustment is possible, but point out that the process would take several weeks.
According to the weekly newspaper Der Spiegel, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not approve sending these missiles to Kiev until he is convinced that this reprogramming is feasible.
The Taurus KEPD 350 missile has a range of more than 500 kilometers and a warhead of 450 kilograms. The combination of several navigation systems allows it to hit targets accurately and over great distances, according to the German media.
“After integrating the system into Ukrainian warplanes, which technically shouldn’t be a major obstacle, Germany will be able to make the Taurus available to Ukraine as a long-range weapon,” the German weekly said.
Earlier this week, several deputies from the German Social Democratic Party (Scholz’s political power) and other minority parties demonstrated in favor of supplying long-range missiles to Kiev. Defense in making such armaments available.
In May, Ukrainian authorities asked Germany to send these missiles, although German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius refused to grant permission, as these devices have a range of 500 kilometres, improving Kiev’s ability to reach Russian military infrastructure.
At the end of May, the German Ministry of Defense told the French news agency AFP that it had received an official request from Kiev regarding the supply of Taurus missiles carried by fighter jets and manufactured by the German-Swedish company of the same name. .
The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) has about 600 units, of which 150 are operational.
In the context of Ukraine’s laborious counter-offensive against Russian troops, the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin recently reiterated this request, drawing the support of both the conservative opposition and the ecologists and liberals of the FDP, members of the governing coalition led by the Social Democrats. Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
But the Scholz’s party fears an escalation of the conflict with Russia if this type of weapon is made available to Ukraine.
Germany is also against support for Ukrainian military aviation, for example by supplying F-16 fighters.
However, the country has significantly expanded its arms supply to Kiev in recent months, in particular by supplying Leopard-type tanks after long hesitation.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
