Provision of tanks to help AFU to conduct mechanized warfare, defeat Russian military, liberate Ukrainian territory - ISW

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported this. 

Experts emphasize that the supply of tanks will allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strengthen mechanized combat operations.

“Western states’ provision of main battle tanks to Ukraine will help enable Ukraine to conduct mechanized warfare to defeat the Russian military and liberate Ukrainian territory,” the report says. 

Analysts have previously said that the West has contributed to Ukraine's failure to take advantage of Russian forces being tied up in Bakhmut by slowly deploying or withholding weapons systems and supplies needed for large-scale counteroffensive operations. In December 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi stressed that Ukraine needs 300 main battle tanks to support Ukraine's counteroffensives. 

• During the 8th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein on January 20, the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine wasn't agreed upon. 

• As of January 22, it was known that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Warsaw allows the creation of a coalition with countries that are ready to give Ukraine part of their Leopard 2, without the participation of Germany, if Berlin does not agree to provide Ukraine with these tanks. And the UK advocates an international agreement to provide Ukraine with German tanks.

• Subsequently, the German military-industrial concern Rheinmetall stated that it is ready to transfer 139 Leopard tanks to Ukraine, as soon as the government gives permission for this.

• On January 24, it became known that US President Joe Biden is ready to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine to encourage Germany to hand over the Leopards.

• And Poland sent an official request to Germany with a request to allow the transfer of Leopard 2 to Ukraine.

• It also became known that according to the results of the latest negotiations, Ukraine expects to receive about 100 Leopard tanks from 12 countries.

• On the same day, the Spiegel publication reported on Germany's decision to approve the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. It is expected that Chancellor Olaf Scholz may announce the provision of tanks to Ukraine on January 25 during a speech in the Bundeswehr, scheduled for 14:00 Kyiv time. At the same time, he can announce that Germany allows the re-export of Leopard 2 from other European countries.