Help for Ukraine
Swiss army does not send tanks – but gloves
Because of its neutral status, Switzerland is not allowed to deliver weapons. Nevertheless, the Swiss army sends military material to Ukraine: gloves, blankets and socks.
Published: 01/26/2023 at 12:08 p.m
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The Swiss army wants to equip Ukraine.
More and more European countries want to deliver tanks after Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64) announced that he would send 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine. But Switzerland cannot send weapons. “A neutral state may export war material, but it must treat all warring parties equally,” says international law professor Evelyne Schmid from the University of Lausanne to Radio SRF. This means that Switzerland would then also have to deliver weapons to Russia. To help the people of Ukraine, Switzerland is now delivering 390 pallets full of winter gear.
The military material with cold protection clothing such as blankets, gloves and sweaters left the army logistics center in Othmarsingen on trucks on Wednesday. It should arrive in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in three days.
170,000 pairs of gloves are on their way
The material comes from the Swiss Army’s stockpile, as the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) announced on Thursday. Specifically, these include around 170,000 pairs of gloves, 40,000 pairs of socks and 2,000 blankets. The equipment will be handed over to the Ukrainian civil defense. They then distribute it to the public.
According to the DDPS, heaters and generators from Switzerland had already been delivered to Ukraine for the winter last December. Switzerland has decided on a series of support measures for Ukraine. These total CHF 180 million. (SDA/jwg)