Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense Signs Contract with Lithuania Defense Services to Improve Logistics

Lithuania Defense Services, a maintenance center and joint venture operated by Rheinmetall and KMW, has entered into a contract with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to enhance logistics capabilities.

The German military aid observer ‘German Aid to Ukraine’ reported this development on X (former Twitter).

The contract aims to improve the supply chain for German armored vehicles, facilitating the provision of spare parts to both Ukraine and Lithuania.

It has been disclosed that, in December 2023, a comprehensive spare parts package for Leopard 2A6 tanks was ordered, with funding provided by the German government.

As previously reported by Militarnyi, a significant portion of the Ukrainian Leopard 2A6 tanks transferred by Germany are currently in a non-combat state.

The source of challenges in repairing damaged equipment stems from a shortage of spare parts and issues arising from subpar repair quality by Ukrainian mechanics.

Further compounding the delays in armored vehicle recovery is the insufficient repair capacity within the country.

To address repair needs, equipment is transported to Lithuania, where the Lithuania Defense Services Maintenance Center is situated.

This facility is equipped to service a range of vehicles, including Boxer, PUMA, Bergepanzer, various versions of Leopard 2 tanks, and PzH2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

It is noteworthy that on December 5, the Ukrainian government confirmed plans for Ukraine and Rheinmetall to commence armored vehicle production on Ukrainian soil in the near future.

The German concern is already the largest partner of Ukraine in the defense industry.

In 2022, the group received orders worth about 900 million euros, and in 2023, the volume of orders grew to about €2,5 billion.