UK Defense Minister announces tank donation to Ukraine, says troops need new level of support
British Defense Minister Ben Wallace arrives at Downing Street in London to attend a cabinet meeting in December 2022. (Wiktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto/AP)
Britain’s defense minister said on Monday that Ukraine needs a “new level of support” to drive Russian troops out of its territory, after announcing the donation of main battle tanks to the country.
“President Putin cannot win,” British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in the House of Commons. “But he is equally confident that he can continue to inflict this gratuitous violence and human suffering until his forces are driven from their defensive positions and driven from the country.”
“That requires a new level of support: the combat power that can only be achieved with combinations of main battle tank squads operating alongside divisional artillery groups, and more precision fires in depth, allowing for targeting of logistics nodes. and Russian command at a greater distance,” he said.
Wallace noted that the UK would send to Ukraine “a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks, with armored recovery and repair vehicles”. He called it “the most significant combat power package to date in accelerating Ukrainian success.”
It is the first time Western main battle tanks will be sent to Ukraine, Wallace said.
“Today’s package will help speed up the conclusion of Putin’s occupation and all its brutality, and ensure that in 2023, and beyond if necessary, Ukraine maintains its momentum, supported by the international community,” added the defense minister. .
He also said the UK would send AS-90 self-propelled artillery, and “hundreds more armored and protective vehicles” to Ukraine.
Wallace called the replacement of Russia’s commander for its war in the Ukraine “the visible tip of an iceberg of factionalism in the Russian command.”
“Putin apparently remains optimistic. And with Gerasimov’s deference to the president never in question, we would now expect a trend back towards a Russian offensive, no matter how much loss of life accompanies it.”