January 16, 2023
British Sergeant Steve Guy (L) and Corporal Andy Porter keep watch out of a Challenger 2 tank from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment on patrol in southern Iraq, April 2, 2003. REUTERS/HO/Angus Beaton/File Photo
LONDON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office
said late on Saturday that Britain would send 14 of its main battle tanks along
with additional artillery support to Ukraine, disregarding criticism from the
Russian Embassy in London.
A squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks will go into the country in
the coming weeks and around 30 self-propelled AS90 guns, operated by five
gunners, are expected to follow, the British prime minister's office said in a
statement.
The UK will also begin training Ukrainian forces to use the
tanks and guns in the coming days.
"As the people of Ukraine approach their second year living
under relentless Russian bombardment, the Prime Minister is dedicated to
ensuring Ukraine wins this war," a spokesperson for the prime minister
said in a statement.
"Alongside his closest military advisors, he has analysed
the military picture, looked at the strategic impact of the UK’s support and
identified a window where he thinks the UK and its allies can have maximum
impact."
The announcement follows a phone call with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier on Saturday during which, Sunak "outlined the
UK's ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision
of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems."
Sunak's office said earlier this week that Britain would
coordinate its support with allies after Germany, France and the United States
all indicated last week they would provide armoured vehicles to Ukraine.
The office also said that the defence minister would update the
British parliament with details of the security support on Monday.
The Russian Embassy in London said the decision to send the
tanks would drag out the confrontation, lead to more victims including
civilians, and was evidence of "the increasingly obvious involvement of
London in the conflict".
"As for the Challenger 2 tanks, they are unlikely to help
the Armed Forces of Ukraine turn the tide on the battlefield, but they will become
a legitimate large target for the Russian artillery," the embassy said,
according to comments cited by the TASS news agency.
BATTLE TANK
The Challenger 2 is a battle tank designed to attack other
tanks, and has been in service with the British Army since 1994. It has been
deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq, according to the army.
"The prime minister and President Zelenskiy welcomed other
international commitments in this vein, including Poland's offer to provide a
company of Leopard tanks," Sunak's spokesperson said.
Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address published before the
detailed British announcement, called the expected help "important"
for Ukraine's defence.
"It's really what is needed," Zelenskiy said.
"And I believe that similar decisions will still be made by other partners
– those who understand why such evil cannot be given a single chance."
Reporting by Michael
Holden and Lidia Kelly; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Angus MacSwan, Tomasz
Janowski, and Deepa Babington
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uk-has-ambition-send-tanks-ukraine-pm-sunak-tells-zelenskiy-2023-01-14/
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