It concerns about 25 tanks: German company sues Ruag

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There are 96 tanks in northern Italy that were once purchased by Switzerland but never entered the country. 25 of the discarded Leopard 1s are now a matter for the judiciary.

The German company Global Logistics Support (GLS) bought them from Ruag in 2019 for the spot price of 12,500 euros, or 500 euros each. The tracked vehicles are stationary in a warehouse in Villesse in northern Italy. They were never delivered: “Corona made everything more difficult in 2020,” GLS director Ralf Miethke (52) told Blick. There were also no interested parties at that time. “The purchase contract provided for free storage of the tanks in Italy. So we didn’t have to raise the alarm.”

However, with Putin’s attack on Ukraine a year ago, this situation changed overnight and demand for military goods exploded. Instead of 500 euros, an old Leopard 1 should now be worth between 500,000 and a million euros, Miethke calculates.

The Netherlands wanted to buy all 96 tanks in Northern Italy from Ruag. They would be overhauled by the Rheinmetall arms company and then made available to Ukraine. The GLS then took action: “25 of the 96 tanks are ours. We have a valid purchase contract and assume that Ruag is a reliable business partner who honors contracts,” Miethke emphasizes. “Ruag is preventing the release of our properties in Italy.”

Do tanks land in Ukraine?

But Ruag doesn’t want to know about it. Meanwhile, GLS and Ruag are on trial in Italy. The “Tribunale Ordinario di Gorizia” ruled in favor of the GLS on December 7, 2023. Ruag wants to move forward with the verdict.
“Ruag has been trying to prevent the tanks from being handed over to us since September 2023,” Miethke criticizes. “We have written to Ms Amherd twice to have the situation quickly clarified. In her first answer she referred to Ruag’s responsibility. We are still waiting for a response to our second letter dated December 22, 2023.”

Miethke does not rule out that the 25 tanks will land in Ukraine. He believes that no war took place between Moscow and Kiev in 2019. This means that the 25 leopards do not fall under the Swiss export ban. The tanks also have nothing to do with Switzerland anymore, but are on Italian territory and owned by Germany. Ruag would not comment on the legal dispute.

Ruag under fire

The arms company has been under pressure for a long time. The Public Prosecution Service for Corruption is currently investigating a former manager and two external investigations are underway in parallel. Last year, Ruag CEO Brigitte Beck was fired. Her successor is now to be determined and the name will be announced soon. Interim CEO Christian Priller does not have to hope for the position of 600,000 francs. “As a German he failed at the Swiss obstacle,” says an insider.

Source:Blick