posted on 01/26/2023 06:00
(Image credit: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP)
Less than a month before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the West has responded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s repeated pleas. Hours after Germany confirmed the delivery of 14 Leopard 2A6 war tanks to Kyiv, the United States announced the delivery of 31 similar M1 Abrams model weapons. “It’s the equivalent of a Ukrainian battalion. (…) Abrams tanks are the most capable in the world. They’re extremely complex to operate and maintain. Combat,” said US President Joe Biden, who spoke to Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the phone.
Zelensky thanked the Allies for their willingness to supply Kyiv with “modern and indispensable tanks”. However, he called for more guns. “They should also make it possible to deliver longrange missiles to Ukraine. This is important. And we should develop (enable) our artillery cooperation and send combat aircraft,” said the Ukrainian leader. “The key now is speed and volume. Speed in training our troops, speed in deploying tanks (…) and the volume of support.”
Norway has said it will contribute with two Leopards, while Spain is considering mobilizing its own stock of the tank, while Poland has promised to be a key supplier. Finland and the Netherlands have signaled that they will heed Kiev’s appeals. Britain stressed that the Leopards will “bolster Ukraine’s defensive firepower”, according to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. A few days ago, London announced that it was sending 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Russia believes sending equipment to the former Soviet republic is tantamount to crossing a “red line.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that the Western plan was a “failure” from a technological point of view. “These tanks will burn out, like everything else. They’re just too expensive,” he said.
While the Leopard 2 costs around US$11 million (or R$55.7 million), the M1 Abrams is priced at around US$10 million (R$50 million). Biden made it clear that the aim was to help Ukraine defend and protect its territory. “It’s not an offensive threat to Russia,” he said, accompanied by Ministers Lloyd Austin (Defense) and Antony Blinken (State).
“United”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg “strongly welcomed” the US leadership on the delivery of the Abrams tanks. “NATO allies are united in our support for Ukraine’s selfdefense. Today, with the Challenger (UK) and Leopard 2 (Germany) tanks, this can make a significant difference in combat against Russia.”
Oleksandra Matviichuk (read Three Questions), head of Ukraine’s NGO Center for Civil Liberties, one of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners, celebrated the mobilization of the West. “This war has characteristics of genocide. We have no other choice. If we stop fighting, we will no longer exist,” he told the Courier.
Mykola Bielieskov, a military strategist at the National Institute for Strategic Studies (in Kyiv), told the report that tanks are politically important because these types of weapons are primarily associated with attack. “Due to their unique combination of smoothbore weapons, protection and mobility, tanks have been an integral part of battles since World War II. I don’t see it as a ‘silver bullet’ as other things are needed, e.g. B. mechanized infantry, artillery, aviation and air defense to achieve results in the form of largescale operations,” he said.
In his opinion, the accession of further countries to the socalled “Leopard Coalition” with Germany’s consent would ensure that the necessary quantity of tanks would be reached quickly without severely affecting the stocks of the individual NATO countries. Bielieskov estimates that Russia’s difficulties on the battlefield are due to the high complexity of wars with modern combined arms. “This type of fight is very difficult to implement,” he commented. The strategist pointed out that only time would tell if Western tanks would be enough to defeat Russia. “It remains to be seen whether the Russians will pull ahead of a counterattack or whether Moscow will remain on the defensive and Kyiv will be pushed into a classic largescale offensive. Without the tanks, it would be more difficult for Ukraine to continue the fight.”
Peter Zalmayev, director of the NGO Eurasia Democracy Initiative (in Kyiv), underlined the importance of Germany’s decision to send Leopard 2 tanks, but reminded that it was only after great pressure from Zelenskyy and at a high cost to the reputation of its leaders happened . “The Berlin initiative is all the more significant as it enables other nations to also supply tanks of the same model. Germany will only deliver 14 pieces of equipment, but here in Kyiv we heard that the number of tanks provided is increasing, while other countries could reach 100. The Ukrainian military command estimates that at least 300 would be needed. In any case, this is a very good start,” he admitted to the Courier.
Zalmayev welcomed Biden’s announcement of the deployment of 31 Abrams tanks in Ukraine and sees the gesture as “a significant precedent”. “We expect the West to contribute fighter jets soon. We’ve seen Russia escalate nuclear rhetoric, which is worrying. Moscow is planning a new offensive and will likely think twice about whether the West shows the political will to arm Ukraine over time. whatever is required.”
The “Pearl of the Black Sea” in danger
Photo credit: Getty Images
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the historic center of the Ukrainian city of Odessa on the shores of the Black Sea, despite Russian resistance, on its list of World Heritage in Danger. At an extraordinary meeting, the Heritage Committee adopted the decision by 6 votes to 1 (Russia) and 14 abstentions. Also known as the “Pearl of the Black Sea”, Odessa is a port city that many around the world identify with the monumental Potemkin Stairs. With the vote, the historic center of Odessa was inscribed on the World Heritage List and registered as an endangered heritage. “I am grateful to the partners who are helping to protect our pearl from attacks by Russian invaders,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
Three questions for…
Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Ukrainian NGO Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), one of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates
Credit: disclosure
How do you see the mood of the people of Kyiv on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion?
I have to admit that we live in absolute uncertainty. It is impossible for us to plan not only for today, but also for the next. You never know when the Russian attack will begin or when the power will go out. We Ukrainians have developed very important skills to do what needs to be done even under such circumstances.
Putin insists he will win the war. What do you think about it?
The people of Ukraine are ready to continue their resistance. This war has traits of genocide. We have no other choice. If we stop fighting, we will no longer exist. There is still a great unity between people and between different sectors of society. We are ready to defend our territory and our people, as well as our values and our democratic choices.
How do you assess the sending of American and German tanks to Ukraine?
Ukraine must be able to defend our territory, our people and our freedom more quickly. Unfortunately, Putin won’t stop until he’s contained. The problem is that political discussions and delays in the delivery of weapons kill people every day. This doesn’t just happen on the front. People are also dying in the occupied territories as a result of the torture inflicted by the Russians. People die in bombings because there is no safe place to escape Russian missiles. It is very important that Germany and other countries finally decided to supply arms to Ukraine. The values of the civilized world must be protected. Democracy must have the ability to defend itself.