German soldiers face persistent shortages despite Scholz's USD109B financial boost
Date
11/30/2023 3:02:45 AM
(MENAFN) In spite of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's €100 billion (USD109 billion) financial boost to the German military, the funds have not yet reached the barracks, with soldiers expressing that they still face shortages in weapons, ammunition, as well as functioning toilets.
Following the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine last February, Scholz swiftly declared the establishment of a €100 billion fund for the modernization of Germany's military. Additionally, he committed to increasing defense spending to meet NATO's mandated threshold of 2 percent of GDP.
He declared that the world was at a "Zeitenwende" (historic turning point), expressing a sentiment that marked a significant departure from the post-Cold War period characterized by military funding cuts. By the time of Angela Merkel's final term in office, the military faced shortages in working vehicles, ammunition, food, and even boots.
Nevertheless, a US-based news agency declared on Wednesday that the “Zeitenwende” is “rarely visible to rank-and-file soldiers who still lack even the most ordinary infrastructure, ammunition and equipment.”
At the German military's artillery school, the media outlet reported that training exercises are frequently canceled due to a shortage of ammunition. Additionally, troops have not received replacements for 14 howitzers that were sent to Ukraine. Renovations for the school's buildings, including repairs to broken windows, leaking roofs, and toilets in such disrepair that they were permanently closed last year, have been postponed until 2042.
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