Ukraine is still using Soviet-era tanks, and Ukrainian tank operators often complain that these vehicles are worn out and frequently malfunctioning.
Less than a month following Germany gave the green light to deliver modern Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine, the Ukrainian military is eager to deploy these formidable war machines in combat.
Ukraine complains regarding worn out tanks, frequent breakdowns
By page The EurAsian Times, Ukrainian army is using Soviet-era tanks. Ukrainian tank operators often complain that these vehicles are worn out and are often broken and malfunctioned.
Currently, Ukrainian soldiers have begun training in the use of German Leopard 2 tanks in Poland, but Kiev is gradually losing patience in waiting for the shipment of tanks from the West.
Recently, giving a magazine interview The country of Spain, the commander of a Ukrainian tank squadron named Igor said that the T-64 tank his team was operating had suffered extensive wear and tear and had broken down several times.
Igor said that technical problems have severely limited the combat operations of the Ukrainian army. Igor said he was repeatedly forced to leave the battlefield instead of attacking Russian positions due to malfunctioning tank wheels and constant jamming of guns.
“My tank is over 50 years old. I am waiting for the German Leopard tank so that I can switch to a more reliable vehicle,” he said.
In addition, Ukraine is said to have lost more than half of its 800 tanks since the conflict broke out in February 2022.
Speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany might deploy the first Leopard tanks to Ukraine very soon, and urged NATO allies to prepare for war. Castle.
Besides the Leopard-2 tank, the Ukrainian army is also regarding to receive Abrams tanks from the US and Challenger-2 from the UK. However, Mr. Igor’s desire to switch to Western tanks is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Ukraine’s military operates many Soviet-era tanks, including the T-64, T-80, T-84 and T-72, which the country received aid from Eastern European countries. Ukraine has also refurbished and deployed a number of tanks captured in combat.
The main battle tank T-62 of the Ukrainian army. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Over the past weeks, the Ukrainian government has been lobbying NATO countries to secure the decision to transfer more tanks to the country. However, recent media reports suggested that Europe, armed with around 2,000 German-made Leopard tanks, might not come to an agreement on the supply of two tank battalions to Ukraine.
The West has difficulty gathering enough tanks to send to Ukraine
Earlier this week, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Western countries are having difficulty assembling two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks to supply Ukraine as promised at the end of January.
Pistorius said Germany and Portugal are the only two countries that have agreed to deploy the A6 variant of the Leopard 2 tank, with Germany 14 and Portugal three. Pistorius noted that even with such a number of tanks, “we will not reach the size of a battalion”.
One Ukrainian battalion consisted of 31 tanks while the Poles gathered regarding 30 Leopard 2 A4 tanks. However, many tanks need repair before they can be used. This means they will be shipped to Ukraine around April.
At the Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Scholz said it was time for other countries to increase the supply of tanks to Ukraine as soon as possible.
Some NATO leaders have criticized Germany for obstructing by not agreeing to let third countries donate Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev while they were lining up to propose support for the main battle tank. This.
But then Mr. Scholz said commitment from Leopard tank suppliers appeared to have decreased significantly. At the conference, he suggested that all countries that can supply main battle tanks of this type should really do it now.
According to the German plan, initially 80 tanks for two battalions would be shipped to Ukraine, but then this number was significantly reduced.
Leopard 2 A6 tank. Photo: The EurAsian Times
Mr. Scholz did not name countries that have not kept their promises or are still hesitant to supply Leopard tanks, but German media this week named Denmark and the Netherlands as countries that will not ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. .
On February 14, Norway said it would donate eight vehicles and two tanks for a special purpose, while Canada agreed to support four. According to reports, Spain also offered to support 4-6 vehicles.
Some media outlets and military experts warn that if Western tanks are only supplied in small quantities, it will not change the battlefield situation, especially in the context of Russia’s strengthening. ground offensive to control territories in eastern Ukraine.
Sheet The world France recently quoted expert Pierre Grumberg as saying that supplying a small number of Western tanks would pose a logistical challenge for the Ukrainian army, and at the same time make it difficult for Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. fields due to their complexity.
And yet, Mr. Grumberg also noted the challenges in integrating three different types of Western tanks. He said that integrating the M1 with the Challenger 2 was challenging for several reasons. In particular, the M1 is an unlikely choice for troops with limited logistical resources because this tank requires large fuel consumption (approximately 400 liters / 100 km, 1/3 more than the tank). increase Leopard 2). In addition, NATO-produced ammunition for smoothbore guns cannot be used for Challenger 2 because this tank is equipped with a 120 mm spiral cannon.
For its part, Russia is confident that it will easily destroy these Western tanks as soon as they are deployed. Some Russian tank commanders say they are waiting for Ukraine to deploy the tanks so they can destroy them.
