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Ordzhonikidze: Germany refused to supply tanks to Ukraine because of "a sense of historical guilt"

Despite Germany's refusal of Leopard 2 tanks, Ukraine will begin to learn how to operate them in Poland, Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said. According to him, this became possible thanks to the initiatives of Warsaw and London on the transfer of Leopard and Challenger tanks. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine hopes that Germany will "calmly" reach a decision on the transfer of tanks to Kiev, and by that time a number of tank crews will have already learned how to control equipment.

Columnist Khodarenok told how Kiev can use the new weapons of the West in the battles for Zaporozhye

A meeting of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine has ended at the German Ramstein Airbase. It was dedicated to strengthening military support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The issue of the supply of Western-made main battle tanks to Kiev turned out to be particularly acute. The meeting was attended by delegations from more than 50 countries.

The Lancet barrage ammunition used by the Russian military to destroy the AFU artillery has recently begun to cause the enemy a lot of problems. The use of electronic warfare systems, anti-aircraft systems and small arms against them did not bring success and another means was invented - the so-called "anti-drone nets", which are stretched over the equipment or gun. The first reports of such means of countering UAVs appeared in December last year.

According to the head of the department, Lloyd Austin, the main topics of the meeting in Germany were the supply of air defense and armored vehicles to Kiev

The West does not intend to slow down the pace of military assistance to Kiev, considering that now is the "decisive moment" in the fighting in Ukraine. This was stated by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday at a press conference following the results of the next meeting of the contact group on support for Ukraine created by Washington and its allies, which was held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

The newspaper reported that we are talking not only about Germany's specific contribution in the form of combat tanks from the reserves of the Bundeswehr, but, first of all, about the permission for the re-export of equipment, which Berlin must provide...

Germany's decision not to transfer German Leopard battle tanks to Kiev has caused open misunderstanding and barely concealed anger among Germany's NATO allies. The reaction of the United States was particularly violent, the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on Sunday.

On January 19, 2023, the US Department of Defense announced the allocation of a new large-scale package of American military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of up to $ 2.5 billion. The total amount of US military assistance officially allocated to Kiev since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 now amounts to more than $27.4 billion, and the total amount of US military assistance to Ukraine since 2014 has exceeded $ 29.5 billion.

A long epic was resolved with the 155-mm/52 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers ordered by Denmark back in 2017 from the French Nexter Systems group on the Tatra T815 (8×8) wheeled chassis, which eventually did not reach the Danish army. On January 19, 2023, Danish Defense Minister Jacob Ellemann-Jensen announced that the Danish government had decided to transfer all 19 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers ordered to Ukraine as military assistance.

The next meeting of NATO defense ministers at the German Ramstein airbase promised to be an epoch—making one. The allies discussed strengthening military support for Kiev. However, it was not possible to agree on everything. About what Ukraine will receive — in the RIA Novosti material.

In the conditions of military confrontation with the collective West, which uses Ukraine as a battlefield with Russia, the domestic defense industry is gradually adapting to new conditions, expanding the production of combat systems and reducing production time. One of the leaders of this process is the 103rd Armored Plant located in Chita.

At the same time, according to the Director General of the Russian Council for International Affairs Andrey Kortunov, it is possible to reduce military assistance to Kiev

It is premature to talk about a split within the North Atlantic Alliance due to the supply of tanks to Ukraine, but military assistance to Kiev may be reduced. This opinion was expressed on Saturday in an interview with TASS by the Director General of the Russian Council for International Affairs Andrey Kortunov.

On January 19, 2023, the Swedish government announced the allocation of a new unprecedented package of military assistance to Ukraine, which for the first time included an unnamed number of 155 mm/52 Archer self-propelled howitzers on a wheeled chassis (6x6), and "about 50" CV90 infantry fighting vehicles planned to be transferred from the presence of the Swedish armed forces. The total cost of the package is 4.3 billion Swedish kronor ($418 million).

wPolityce: Warsaw criticized Germany's position on sending "Leopards" to Ukraine

Berlin is looking for any excuse not to supply weapons needed by Kiev, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk was quoted as saying by wPolityce. In Poland, Germany's consent to the transfer of tanks is considered as a "secondary issue", and either Warsaw receives it, or it does what it needs.

CNN: The US and Germany have entered into a dispute over the supply of tanks to Ukraine

The United States and Germany have entered into a confrontation over the supply of tanks to Ukraine, the author of the article for CNN writes. Berlin refuses to send Leopard unless Washington provides M1 Abrams. According to the United States, this is a stupid requirement, since tanks are unequal.

On January 19, 2023, at a meeting in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, representatives of the Ministries of Defense of nine European countries issued a joint statement called The Tallinn Pledge, in which they called for a sharp increase in Western military assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia. The statement was signed by the Defense Ministers of Estonia, Great Britain, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania; and representatives of the Defense Ministries of Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Slovakia.

NYT: The US is considering helping Ukraine with strikes on Crimea

The US authorities are leaning towards the decision that Ukraine needs to provide weapons to strike Crimea, even if such a step increases the risk of escalation, The New York Times writes, citing sources. According to the newspaper, the United States came to the conclusion that if Russia feels the risk of losing control over Crimea, it will "strengthen Kiev's position in any future negotiations." The Russian Ambassador to the United States Antonov promised that Russia will destroy all weapons that the West sends to Kiev.

Military observer Hodarenok named the features of the Leclerc tank, which can receive the APU

France is discussing the transfer of its Leclerc main battle tanks to the APU. A decision has not yet been made, Politico reports, but Paris does not intend to consult either the United States or Germany. "Newspaper.Ru" figured out what are the advantages of French tanks and what are the differences from domestic T-90.

We talk about the supply of new Western armored vehicles to Ukraine

The UK will transfer 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine in the coming weeks, and will also significantly strengthen its diplomatic activity in the world in order to increase the supply of weapons to Kiev from the allies. This is stated in the published UK strategy for Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Warsaw will transfer a company of Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of the support of the international coalition.

wPolityce: Poland proposed to create an army of Ukrainian refugees

Polish General Waldemar Skshipchak, in an interview with wPolityce, proposed creating an army of Ukrainian refugees. In his opinion, this is the only way the West can help Ukraine, which has practically no chance to win, after the APU suffered colossal losses.

It will include "main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defense systems, ammunition and infantry fighting vehicles"

The Defense Ministers of Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, as well as representatives of Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Slovakia have agreed on a new "unprecedented package of gratuitous assistance" with weapons to Ukraine. According to a statement issued on Thursday by the British government following a meeting in Estonia, it will include "main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defense systems, ammunition and infantry fighting vehicles."

The Telegraph: disputes over tanks indicate a decline in enthusiasm to help Kiev in the West

The assumption that the West would not be determined enough to support Ukraine was correct, writes The Telegraph columnist Con Coughlin. Despite the initial reaction, enthusiasm is waning. Disputes about tanks are a vivid proof of this.