- By Jeremy Howell and Tom Spencer
- BBC News
image source, Getty Images
Ukraine is in need of hundreds more tanks to help recapture Russian-occupied territory.
The UK will send 14 tanks, but many other countries have yet to offer help.
How many tanks does Russia and Ukraine have?
Ukraine started the war with about 900 tanks, for example, the T-72, which was already over 30 years old and was starting to deteriorate.
“Many Ukrainian tanks may become useless because they were not well maintained before the Russian invasion started,” said Dr. Marina Miron, a defense researcher at King’s College. said the University of London.
The Russians began their invasion of Ukraine with more than 3,000 tanks and many more in reserve.
Ukraine has asked Western nations to give them up to 300 modern tanks, supposedly this will allow them to retake territory from Russia in the spring.
“Ukrainian infantry needs tanks to break through Russian lines full of artillery,” said Dr Jack Watling, a senior land warfare researcher at the Royal United Services Institute.
What can Western nations give tanks?
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Challenger 2 tanks
when the war started Western nations donate anti-tank missiles to Ukraine for fear of giving attack weapons such as tanks It would be too provocative to Russia. The only tanks that Ukraine received last year were 200 T-72s from Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Britain was the first nation to offer modern tanks. It promised 14 Challenger 2 tanks, known for their extremely accurate guns.
However, there could be complications because Challenger 2 tanks use different ammunition than other NATO tanks. Dr Miron says this may require separate ammunition shipments.
Ukraine would rather get German-made Leopard 2 tanks. because it is lighter and faster and uses standard ammunition And other countries can donate more to them.
Poland and Finland bought Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and said they would like to give Ukraine a total of 25. However, this had to be approved by Germany as a manufacturing country.
Germany has yet to approve it, and other nations are pressing Germany to change their minds.
Ukraine requested M1 Abrams tanks from the United States. It was described by some as the most technologically advanced tank in the world, but the United States has yet to agree.
Why haven’t Germany and the US agreed yet?
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Ukraine would rather get German-made Leopard 2 tanks. because it is lighter and faster
Dr Miron said Germany was worried that Russia would aim to tell them they had crossed the line. Unless all western nations unite for Ukrainian tanks.
In the United States, Dr Watling said it was a practical reason because M1 Abrams tanks use a lot of fuel. And Ukraine still lacks oil.
Additionally, Dr. Watling said the US might wait and see how Ukraine handles its Challenger and Leopard tanks before sending more of its own.
How will it help?
Dr. Watling said that Western tanks are heavier than Russian ones. And this will create a limitation. Unable to cross most bridges
Dr. Miron says this will allow the use of tanks in limited areas.
“Ukraine will find that they can use the tanks in areas of countries where there are few rivers,” said Dr Miron, adding that if there is too much mud the tanks will get stuck in the mud.
In addition, Dr Miron said that these tanks would become the targets that the Russians wanted to attack immediately.