‘We had necessary permits’, says German dealer behind Swiss tanks in Ukraine
How did Swiss armoured vehicles end up near the front in Ukraine?
Keystone / Ronald Wittek
A German dealer behind the re-export of Swiss armoured vehicles spotted in Ukraine says they have been completely demilitarised, reports the NZZ newspaper on Friday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
NZZ/jc
Italiano
it
Avevamo i permessi necessari”, dice il commerciante tedesco dietro i carri armati svizzeri in Ucraina
Pictures of one or two armoured vehicles apparently made by the Swiss manufacturer Mowag have appeared on the internet from the front in Ukraine. The Swiss authorities say they are investigating.
The NZZ paper saidExternal link it had tracked the journey of the Mowag Eagle vehicles to German entrepreneur Thomas Bockhold and the FWW Fahrzeugwerke company. Bockhold bought 27 of the 36 armoured vehicles that Denmark procured from Switzerland in the 1990s, while the rest ended up on the scrap heap or in museums, according to the NZZ.
The 64-year-old former German army officer, who is also the Honorary Consul of Papua New Guinea in Germany, told the NZZ he “coordinated everything with the authorities” and “we had all the necessary permits”. Answering the paper’s phone call, he claimed he had a certificate confirming the vehicles’ demilitarisation before they were sent to Ukraine.
However, under Swiss law, armoured vehicles that have been demilitarised are still considered war materiel, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) confirmed to NZZ. This means Bockhold needed to obtain permission from Switzerland to transfer the armoured vehicles, but SECO says it has not received a request from any German company to deliver Eagle vehicles abroad in recent years.
Traditionally, neutral Switzerland has come under pressure both at home and abroad to ease its strict rules on war materiel aimed at preventing Swiss arms from ending up in conflict zones. It has faced criticism from Germany, Spain and Denmark over blocking shipments of Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss investigate sighting of Swiss-built tank in Ukraine
This content was published on
Pictures of one or two armoured vehicles apparently made by the Swiss manufacturer Mowag have appeared on the internet from the front in Ukraine.
Switzerland rejects Spanish request for arms re-export to Ukraine
This content was published on
Switzerland has rejected Spain's request for the re-export of Swiss war materiel to Ukraine, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs says.
Germany ‘not angry’ over Swiss ban on arms re-export to Ukraine
This content was published on
Germany is not angry over Bern’s refusal to allow Berlin to re-export Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine, says the German ambassador to Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.