The UK is trying to assess how useful the supply of tanks to Ukraine will be to help it in the confrontation against the Russian invasion. If London nevertheless decides that it is necessary to provide the Ukrainian army with the British Challenger 2, this will be the first time that a Western country has sent such weapons..

This is reported by the Financial Times, citing its sources in the British Ministry of Defense.. At the same time, the publication notes that most think tanks have come to the conclusion that German Leopard 2s are better suited to Ukraine than British tanks, which, apart from the British army, are used only by Oman..

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One Western official told the Financial Times that the decision to send armored vehicles, including tanks, was not taken centrally.. Rather, there were bilateral negotiations between the capitals. The decisions of individual countries provoked a domino effect. The official is convinced that if the UK sends the Challenger 2 to Ukraine, the US and Germany will most likely also transfer their cars. However, the final decision in London has not yet been made.. The main concern is whether the Ukrainian military will be able to use the Challenger 2.

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In turn, The Telegraph writes that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak " He spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky last week. If London decides to take the first step in this matter, then by doing so it will break the taboo about sending modern tanks out of fear that Russia will escalate the conflict.

“Challenger IIs are equipped with Chobham and Dorchester armor, the exact chemical composition of which is kept secret.. This allows armored vehicles to withstand a direct hit from Russian T-72s, which cannot match the much better British tank, ”the publication explains..

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" I suspect that the amazing Ukrainian army will show the Russians what tank warfare is if we give them modern Western tanks.. Combined with the IFVs already offered by the US and France, this force could provide the punch needed to push the Russians out of Ukraine,” Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former Royal Tank Regiment commander, told The Telegraph..

Meanwhile, former NATO commander General Richard Shirreff said Britain should have donated tanks to Ukraine " As The Guardian writes, according to the British military, "

“Russians respect only one thing - strength. This has always been the case with Russia. If she is defeated, she will retreat..

Therefore, I think that instead of worrying about the escalation, we ourselves should increase support more, we should give the Ukrainians more opportunities.. Because the more and the faster we give them, the faster it will all be over, ”says Shirreff..

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According to the former NATO commander, the Western Allies should have provided Ukraine with the armored capabilities needed for offensive maneuvers from the very beginning of the war..

" But I think this is the case when better late than never,” he added..