WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2022) Maintenance and sustainment are the main obstacles to the provision of Western tanks to Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing special military operation there, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Laura Cooper said.
"We absolutely agree that the Ukrainians need tanks," Cooper said during a press briefing on Tuesday. "One of the challenges with introducing other Western-type tanks is the maintenance and the sustainment piece."
Cooper said the easiest way to provide tanks to Ukraine would be to send Soviet-type tanks the Ukrainians know how to operate and repair, and the United States has worked with allies to support Ukraine with 1,000 such tanks.
Last week, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he did not rule out that NATO-standard tanks, including Abrams and Leopard, will be supplied to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is solely targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the civilian population is not in danger.
