UK training Ukrainian tank operators on Challenger 2

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Jan 2023 19:33

Challenger 2 tanks will be delivered by the end of March according to Alex Chalk, the UK's deputy defense minister.

Britain's Challenger 2 tank moves at the Tapa Military Camp, in Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

The UK Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that Ukrainian tank operators have arrived in the country for training to operate Challenger 2 tanks that London intends to transfer to Kiev this spring.

"Ukrainian tank crews have arrived in the UK to begin training ... The UK will provide Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine alongside global partner nations - demonstrating the strength of support for Ukraine, internationally," the ministry said on Twitter.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared the UK would send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine on January 15.

The tanks will be delivered by the end of March, according to Alex Chalk, the UK's deputy defense minister, and by the end of January Ukrainian tank operators will start receiving training.

This step by the UK falls in line with the NATO-EU pattern to arm Ukraine to its teeth.

Germany budged to NATO-EU pressure and has agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine after being reluctant to do so to avoid unilaterally exacerbating hostilities with Moscow.

The Berlin-Kiev Leopard 2 agreement was secured, after the Washington-Kiev agreement to send Abrams tanks.

Last week, Ukraine received HIMARS artillery from the US.

In the same context, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed on Wednesday that the first AMX 10RC armored vehicles, which France is sending to Ukraine, will be delivered in February.\

Additionally, on his part, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram also confirmed that Norway will join other European countries in sending Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.

Furthermore, Sweden, which has broken with its doctrine of not delivering weapons to a country at war, last week pledged a major package of arms for Ukraine, including modern howitzers and armored vehicles.

Back in December, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement that the bloc had run out of military stockpiles as it provided Ukraine with an overwhelming amount of military support.

Moscow has persistently slammed NATO and EU efforts at the escalation in Ukraine announcing that any and all vehicles transporting weapons to Ukraine will be legitimate targets of Russian forces.