The UK Defense Ministry said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops were learning to operate Challenger 2 tanks, which London plans to send to Kiev this spring
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2023) The UK Defense Ministry said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops were learning to operate Challenger 2 tanks, which London plans to send to Kiev this spring.
"Tank crews from the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been quick to master the controls of the mighty Challenger 2 this week," the ministry said on Twitter.
On January 15, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that his country would send 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace later specified that the tanks could arrive on the front line in Ukraine before the summer, in May or closer to Easter.
Germany has also committed to sending 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Kiev. The United States said it would send Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks and eight M88 recovery vehicles, noting that that delivery would take considerable time.
In April 2022, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev amid the military operation that Russia launched in Ukraine last February. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any arms shipments on Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.
