RE: RE: West is sending tanks to Ukraine, so what's next on Zelensky's wishlist?
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RE: West is sending tanks to Ukraine, so what's next on Zelensky's wishlist?

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4y

Thanks for an informative article. To be honest a few hundred tanks will make that much difference.
First of all, all these different tanks need to be supplied and maintained which will probably mean long journeys sending them to Poland for maintenance. The New York Times last November estimated that every day around one third of the artillery systems sent by the West to Ukraine are off the battlefield being repaired/maintained in Poland. I should imagine this will be the same with the tanks which contain sophisticated technology.
Secondly, Russian anti tank weapons from the 1970s/80s have destroyed German Leopard tanks in Syria with ease and US Abrams tanks in Yemen with ease. Former US Maine Corps intelligence analyst and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter has noted that Russia has a huge superiority in artillery (about 10 to 1) firepower and thousands of modern anti tanks weapons along with air superiority which will have no problems destroying these Western tanks.

Thirdly, according to former US marine and military analyst Brian Berletic modern Russian tanks such as the T90 have superior armour and main guns to Western tanks and are being produced in large numbers by Russia.

Fourthly, for these Western tanks to be effective they need to be deployed as part of combined arms warfare. Except they will lack air support and face the massive firepower of Russian artillery. Never mind the fact that Russia is using drones such as the Lancet to successfully destroy large numbers of Ukrainian artillery/tanks/armoured cars.

Finally, it is clear that Ukrainian tanks crews will not be fully trained to use these Western tanks. Basic training for the UK Challenger 2 takes at least 4 months. To be fully competent in combined arms warfare is going to take many more months.

In summary I would be wary of Western claims that these tanks will make much difference on the battlefield. Of course, like with anything else in war only time will tell.