The UK is considering sending Ukraine its main battle tank, the Challenger 2, which would mark a significant escalation of military aid and would be the first time Kyiv would receive a Western-made heavy tank.
British sources told The Guardian that the UK has been discussing sending the tanks since the summer, but no final decision has been made. Sky News first reported the potential transfer and said the UK could send up to 10 tanks, far less than the 300 heavy tanks Ukrainian officials say they need.
The UK only has a fleet of 227 Challenger 2 tanks, so it isn’t in a position to provide many to Kyiv. But Ukrainian officials hope that if the UK sends the Challenger 2, it will inspire Germany and the US to send their heavy tanks, the German-made Leopard and the US-made Abrams.
The US and Germany both announced last week they would send Ukraine infantry fighting vehicles, which marks an escalation of military aid. France also announced it would give Kyiv AMX-10 RC armored combat vehicles, which are considered “light tanks,” but the pledges still fall short of the heavy tanks Ukraine has been demanding.
Germany hasn’t shown any sign that it’s prepared to send Ukraine Leopards, and Berlin would need to approve the transfer of the tanks if another European country that has purchased them wants to send them to Ukraine. In September, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is trying to avoid a direct clash between NATO and Russia when explaining why his government hasn’t provided Ukraine with heavy tanks.
“We are supporting Ukraine,” Scholz told The New York Times. “We are doing it in a way that is not escalating to where it is becoming a war between Russia and NATO because this would be a catastrophe.”
But the US and its Western allies have shown a willingness to escalate military aid by providing Ukraine with weapons they’ve previously ruled out. Germany is also under significant pressure to send the Leopards, with France and Poland both pushing Berlin to do so.
The UK just can’t get over having “won” WWI and II. (Of course it was extraordinarily culpable about getting the first one revved up and so deadly. WWII: Bengal Famine, Dresden Fire Bombing, etc) The UK is no longer the Chief Empire with Subjugated Colonies Around the World under the Sun. It has financial services, tourism. But it is not, NOT, Huitzilopochtli (Sun God, Aztecs) or Ra or Helios or Surya, or any other Sun God, center of the solar system aound which our humble Earth orbits. Nowadays in fact UK seems to fawn on Ukraine as a sort of poor-relation doppelganger. An “underdog” who deserves the “world.”
The UK is looking to retire its tanks in any case as I understand it.
What better clime to retire in than Ukraine, no?
You know what news I heard about the UK today? They tried to launch satellites by themselves and failed miserably. Literally blew up in the sky. Yup, even something that North Korea can do the UK failed at. I’m sure Ukraine can use those proud pieces of British engineering. Hope they don’t blow up.
I heard they will send twenty five thousand copies of the Times with each tank, so that they can soak up the engine oil that leaks out of the crankcase during idle hours.
I would recommend 200 tons of iodine tablets instead.
The Brits are more interested in Prince Harry’s books and scandal in the Royal family than another war where their young people will be more cannon fodder to promote whatever agenda their gov. and aristocracy desires. WWI and II weren’t enough, I guess.
Britain has some very unique tanks. Engines, running gear, guns and ammo, nothing about them is NATO-standard. Sending just 10 of them is inflicting a maintenance nightmare, and a supply nightmare, for no real benefit except publicity in Britain.
These tanks are nothing more than convenient “Death Packaging” in the conditions of Ukraine.
They serve to send the Russians convenient batches of Ukrainians to kill in one strike.
That is all.
“We are doing it in a way that is not escalating to where it is becoming
a war between Russia and NATO because this would be a catastrophe.” The Ukies know very well it is NATO vs Russia but Ukies providing the bodies and the blood.
Of course heavy tanks are just what Ukraine needs, to get caught in the fortifications, the mud and to need careful maintenance the Ukrainians still alive cannot provide.
Britain Considering Supplying Ukraine With More Rope To Hang Itself