Bild: German government blocks supply of IFVs to Ukraine

The German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is blocking deliveries of Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Ukraine.

Defense concern Rheinmetall is ready to provide up to 100 such armored vehicles, but its application has not yet been reviewed, Bild reports.

"The Scholz government's hypocritical game about the alleged impossibility of supplying Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine is entering a new phase," the newspaper reports.

It is about the refusal of the German government to transfer to Ukraine 32 Marder IFVs, which are at the disposal of the German Defense Ministry. The armored vehicles can be used after minor repairs.

This time the publication found out that for over a month the German Federal Security Council has been blocking Rheinmetall's application for supplying Ukraine with 100 Marder IFVs, which are at the disposal of the manufacturer. These vehicles could be brought to combat readiness within six weeks.

If the German authorities had approved the deal between Rheinmetall and the Ukrainian government, which was discussed in March, the first IFVs could have been sent to Ukraine as early as summer, the newspaper notes.

It should be noted that the day before, Bild found out that the German authorities do not intend to provide Ukraine with Marder IFVs as part of military assistance.

Earlier, Ukraine's ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk said that Scholz did not want to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons.