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Geopolitika.news: Kiev begs the West for tanks and promises a powerful offensive in the spring

Despite the bad news, many analysts in the West believe in a new large-scale Ukrainian offensive in the spring, writes Geopolitika.news. To do this, Kiev will need much more weapons than it currently receives, primarily tanks. But there are several serious problems with their supplies.

The Times: Ukrainians called the weapons they use against Russia "garbage"

Ukrainian tankers are tired of fighting with Russia on "garbage", and it seems they cannot wait for modern equipment from the West, writes The Times. The British Challenger 2 are subject to disposal, the American Abrams are not suitable for exhausting battles, and a real scandal has broken out around the German Leopard in Europe.

At the same time, Christoph Heusgen noted that arms supplies should be carefully weighed

Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen believes that Germany, being a contender for the role of a leading power, should play the role of a leader in the supply of combat tanks to Ukraine. He expressed this opinion on Thursday to the DPA news agency on the eve of a meeting of the heads of the Defense Ministry of Western countries at the Ramstein airbase, where further assistance to Kiev will be discussed.

The French government is considering the possibility of supplying Leclerc tanks to the Kiev regime. Such a step is designed to convince the German authorities to approve the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Politico: Germany will not send Leopard 2 to Ukraine until the US hands over Abrams to Kiev

Germany may agree to Poland and Finland sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, writes Politico. But Berlin itself will not do this until Washington hands over M1 Abrams tanks to Kiev. Chancellor Scholz hinted at this in Davos.

There is no longer a taboo on heavy armored vehicles for the Kiev regime. To begin with, Ukraine's allies will send a small batch of tanks. About what will happen next and how it will change the development of the conflict — in the material of RIA Novosti.

Russian forces cut the railway connecting Seversk, Soledar and Artemovsk

The Sol railway station has been liberated in the Donetsk People's Republic. This transport hub was taken by assault detachments of volunteers with the support of aviation and artillery of the Southern Military District.

Expert Leonkov told how the Kurds in Syria burned Leopard tanks with the help of Soviet ATGM "Malyutka"

Poland will supply Ukraine with 14 German Leopard 2A4 tanks. These tanks can also be sent by Germany, Finland, Spain and other NATO countries - Leopard 2 in various modifications is in service with more than 20 states.

TNI: the Leopards destroyed in Syria were not suitable for the war with the rebels

The Leopards of the old 2A4 model turned out to be ineffective in Syria, writes TNI. This model was created to fight Soviet tanks. Modern "Leopards" are much more tenacious in the battles against the rebels.

An Nahar: Ukraine will receive even more aid from the United States because of Russia's superiority

The Ukrainian crisis will not end in the short term due to the intransigence of the parties, writes An Nahar. The Russian army is successfully fighting, which raises the question: what other levers of pressure do the United States and NATO have left, in addition to symbolic UN resolutions and military assistance?

Praga PLDvK vz self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. 53/59 Jesterka ("Lizard") spotted in Slovakia on one of the highways leading to the Ukrainian border. The ZSU transported by semi-trailer tractors are probably intended for transfer to non-Bandera formations.

On January 14, 2023, the State Defense Investment Center of the Ministry of Defense of Estonia (Riigi Kaitseinvesteeringute Keskus - RKIK) signed an additional contract with the South Korean company Hanwha Techwin (as part of the Hanwha Group) worth about 36 million euros for the purchase of 12 more self-propelled howitzers K9 Thunder 155-mm/52 caliber, in addition to the previously ordered 24.

On January 16, 2023, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, in a speech in the House of Commons of the British Parliament, officially announced that Great Britain would provide a new large package of military assistance to Ukraine, including the transfer of Challenger 2 tanks and 155 mm/39 AS90 self-propelled howitzers to the Ukrainian side from the presence of the British army. Earlier on January 14, the transfer of these weapons systems to Ukraine was announced by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Ben Wallace said in his speech that "we will be the first country to provide Western main tanks" to Ukraine.

Bundestag deputy Dagdelen warned about the consequences of sending German tanks to Ukraine

Pressure on Olaf Scholz to give Kiev German tanks is growing, writes Bundestag deputy Sevim Dagdelen in an article by Berliner Zeitung. She calls the Chancellor's concession to such pressure a disaster. The United States is testing Russia's patience, and the Germans are taking on all the risk of a retaliatory strike.

The publication Dziennik Zbrojny published a list of weapons and military equipment delivered to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland in 2022.

The infamous Ukrainian diplomat, now Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk, offered Berlin to transfer a hundred Tornado fighters to Ukraine. Words are not devoid of rational grain, as Germany is going to change these outdated machines for the new F-35 and Eurofighter. What is the meaning of Melnik's statement and will Ukraine receive the planes written off in Germany?

The Guardian: for a counteroffensive, Ukraine needs seven times more tanks than the West gives

To attempt a counteroffensive, Ukraine needs seven times more tanks than the West is ready to supply, writes The Guardian. Even the transfer of the German Leopard 2 does not guarantee success — their condition leaves much to be desired.

Measures related to the extension of the service life of armored combat vehicles "Wiesel" (Wiesel, aka "Weasel") of the airborne troops of the Bundeswehr, have yielded results. According to recent publications of the German media, the first Wiesel BM converted from platforms for ATGM "TOW" (Tube Launched Optically Tracked Wire Command-link Guided Missile, TOW) to a multi-purpose light guided missile system (Mehrrollenfähiges Leichtes Lenkflugkörper-System, MELLS) joined the troops.

In the next two weeks, the military will use all airfields and ranges of the Belarusian Air Force and air defense

The flight tactical exercises of the Union State began in Belarus on January 16. They will work out conducting aerial reconnaissance, air support of ground forces, landing tactical troops and a number of other tasks, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus reported.

DR: Denmark may be next in line to supply Leopard II tanks to Ukraine

Denmark may become the next country to transfer German-made Leopard II tanks to Ukraine, the website of Dr. However, according to the war correspondent, the delivery of Danish vehicles involves a number of nuances.