Morocco hands over 20 T-72B tanks to Ukraine
The Moroccan army has handed over to Ukraine about 20 T-72B tanks that have been upgraded in the Czech Republic at the repair line of the Excalibur workshops, MENA Defense, an information magazine on military issues of the Maghreb countries, reported on Sunday.
"About twenty units were sent to the battlefield a week ago and they were visible during the visit of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the workshops of the Excalibur Army company in Sternberk, which had carried out their refurbishment," the publication reported.
The exact number of units of transferred equipment is unknown. According to the publication, the Moroccan army had 148 T-72s, 136 T-72Bs and 12 T-72BKs, which the country purchased in two batches in 1999 and 2000.
"Morocco's decision to deliver arms to Ukraine was taken, almost under duress, during the Rammstein summit for Ukraine which took place on April 26, 2022 and which was hosted by the United States. At this summit, Tunisia and Morocco were the only two countries to represent North Africa. Tunis had dispatched at the time two cargo planes to Rzeszow airport in Poland, which centralizes logistical aid to Ukraine and there Morocco seems to have followed suit by sending not humanitarian aid but outright weapons," the publication said.