Ukrainian military to start training on Leopard and Challenger tanks

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov made the announcement in an interview with Voice of America.

"We have a breakthrough - countries that already have Leopard tanks can begin training missions for our tank crews. We will start with that, and we will go from there. I hope Germany will follow their process, conduct their internal consultations, and will arrive at the decision to transfer tanks. I am optimistic regarding this because the first step has been made. We will start training programs for our tank crews on Leopards 2," the minister said.

For his part, Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko told Radio Svoboda that the Ukrainian military will soon begin training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK.

"The crews are about to start training in the UK. Crews of heavy artillery systems are already training, and tank crews will arrive soon," he said.

According to Prystaiko, "it will not take long," because, as British instructors note, Ukrainian military are motivated and learn very quickly.

"When we train infantrymen here (as you know, we have already trained 10,000, and since the beginning of the new year we have started training another 20,000), it takes 5 weeks. It's hard to say how long it will take to train tankers, especially since they include artillerymen, mechanics, and commanders. I think we can manage in a month and a half. If necessary, the training will continue, as it has been done before," the ambassador said.

He added that British tanks are already being prepared for deployment to Ukraine.

"The tanks that have been prepared for us are already being prepared to go to Ukraine," Prystaiko said.

• During the 8th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in Ramstein on January 20, defense ministers did not agree upon the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

• On January 16, the UK announced a large package of military aid to Ukraine. It includes tanks, armored vehicles, UAVs, and artillery shells.