Germany and the United States will provide Ukraine with numerous modern battle tanks. While the Kremlin branded the action as "extremely dangerous," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed it as a potential turning point in the country's struggle to fend off Russia's invasion.
The decision to provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks was made public by US President Joe Biden just hours after Germany announced that it would deploy Leopard 2 tanks. The anticipated delivery of Abrams combat tanks to Ukraine has been derided by Russia as an expensive mistake, and Russia has stated that any such tanks will "burn."
Germany chose to send the Leopard 2 tank, which is the mainstay of NATO troops in Europe, to Ukraine instead of Biden's cautious initial deployment of the difficult-to-maintain Abrams.
Germany and the United States have finally broken one of the few remaining taboos regarding Western assistance for Ukraine: delivering weapons with a primary objective of offense rather than defense. Heavy artillery, air defense, and a number of rocket launchers were among the additional military supplies Germany said it would send to Kiev.
Moscow's ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev, reacted angrily to Berlin's declaration, "This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation."
The ultimate objective would be to provide Ukraine with two Leopard battalions, the first of which would arrive in three to four months and typically consist of three to four companies.
The engine is the primary distinction between the Leopard and the Abrams, despite their close similarities. The Leopard 2 has a diesel-powered MTU MB 873 engine, which is much simpler to maintain and is more popular in Europe than the Abrams' more powerful and intricate turbine engine.
Because Abram tanks are rarely used in Europe, some experts believe that Ukraine may have trouble managing their logistical infrastructure. In addition, the sophisticated equipment will necessitate additional training for the four-person tank.
The number of pledges from other NATO allies to field Leopards, which Germany produced in large numbers and exported to allies, increased significantly with statements this week from Poland, Finland, and Norway.
Zelenskiy has requested that allies quickly provide a large number of tanks. Speed and volume are now the keys. rapid training of our forces and rapid tank supply to Ukraine. The tank support numbers," he stated on January 25.
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