The Ukrainian embassy in Berlin has asked the German government for further weapons’ deliveries to help fend off the Russian invasion.
Since the conflict began, the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz reversed years of highly restrictive arms export policies and allowed direct weapons deliveries to Ukraine to help fight back Russian forces.
Berlin has already sent 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from Bundeswehr stocks.
Its plan to send 2,700 Strela anti-aircraft missiles from the former East Germany are in the works but not yet confirmed.
The embassy’s requests are listed in what is known as a note verbale from to the chancellery, foreign office and defence ministry, which dpa has obtained.
“In view of the extremely tense security situation because of the ongoing Russian aggression, the Ukrainian government is seeking that this request be processed and favourably reviewed as quickly as possible,” the note reads.
The request says Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has started a “war of annihilation” against Ukraine with advanced modern weapons systems, including outlawed weapons such as cassette bombs with cluster munitions.
“The Russian Federation is thereby seriously violating international humanitarian law,” the note dated March 3 added.
The note says the Russian side has also committed “numerous war crimes” and the Ukrainian government is, therefore, seeking “immediate assistance” from Germany.
The Ukrainian embassy’s list includes battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems such as self-propelled howitzers and air defence systems.
Others are: combat and support helicopters, reconnaissance and combat drones, transport aircraft and warships.
The weapons are “urgently needed,” according to the note.
