Germany to give Kiev UAVs for aerial reconnaissance
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Germany's automotive and arms manufacturer will deliver a Luna New Generation drone system to Ukraine.
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the handover ceremony of former spokesman for the federal government, Steffen Seibert to the new spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (AP)
Germany will supply Ukraine with Luna NG aerial reconnaissance drones before the end of the year, German newspaper Bild reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the newspaper, the deliveries will be carried out on a government contract by the German defense corporation Rheinmetall. Ground control centers for drones, catapult launchers, and military trucks will also be included in the deal.
Luna NG, which stands for a new generation, is an advanced military system capable of not only conducting surveillance but also maintaining the LTE network and intercepting or jamming enemy communications, according to the source.
The drone can fly up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) in altitude and has a reconnaissance range of several hundred kilometers. According to the news outlet, future versions of the drone will be able to carry weapons; however, the units that will be supplied to Ukraine lack this capability.
Read next: Germany criticizes Ukraine's counter-offensive as ineffective
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz revealed at the beginning of August that Germany was sending weaponry to Ukraine, including new equipment that the German Armed Forces do not yet have.
"We delivered whatever we had: anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, mines, guns, tons of ammunition, and non-lethal aid. Since then, we've progressed to more intricate and valuable systems."
Scholz told Canada's Globe and Mail, "Self-propelled howitzers, Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, anti-aircraft systems, counter-battery radar" are among the complex and high-value systems sent.
"Some of these systems are so new that only very few have been produced and some of them have not even been introduced in the Bundeswehr."
All the weapons need the proper training, which Ukrainian crews are receiving in several locations in Germany. "And we will continue to provide this support to Ukraine as long as it takes," he said.
Read next: Advanced German artillery now deployed in Ukraine: Kiev
Due to the transfer of arms to Ukraine, Russia already addressed a note to all countries, including the United States. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, any convoy containing arms for Ukraine will become a valid target for Russia.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine war in February 2022, Western countries have been providing military assistance to Ukraine. In 2022, the assistance transitioned from light artillery munitions and training to larger weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023.
Ukraine has been asking for fighter planes in recent months. The Kremlin has frequently cautioned against any more arms supply to Kiev, claiming that they would be considered a legitimate military target.
