Germany, Great Britain and the USA, among others, are supplying Kiev battle tanks.
Can Ukraine use this to launch a successful counteroffensive?
KIEV - Western states had promised more than 40 modern main battle tanks for the expected spring offensive by the Ukrainian army.
Around 30 Leopard 2 tanks have now arrived from Germany, Poland and Canada, as well as other tank models such as the Challenger 2 from the United Kingdom.
Originally, the Ukrainian President Selenskyj had hoped for more main battle tanks.
In the winter he had demanded at least 300.
Depending on the weather, Ukraine wants to launch a counter-offensive in April or May, as Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov recently announced.
As the British daily
The Guardian
writes, a large-scale spring offensive by Ukraine is in doubt.
Because the Ukrainian resources were not sufficient for this, analysts expected one or more smaller counter-offensives - comparable to the Ukrainian attacks in late summer and autumn.
Among other things, Ukraine had succeeded in recapturing Cherson.
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The first Leopard 2 main battle tanks from Germany have arrived in Ukraine.
(archive image)
© Daniel Karmann/dpa
Military expert: Also psychological advantage for Ukraine
British colonel and military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon
also sees a psychological effect in Western tank deliveries, according to
The Guardian .
This has a positive effect on Ukraine and a negative effect on Russia, although de Bretton-Gordon believes that a larger number of main battle tanks is necessary.
Nevertheless, the modern western tanks are superior to the Russian ones used in the Ukraine war so far and could make a difference.
A major benefit of Leopard tanks, according to de Bretton-Gordon, is the long range they can fire from.
In addition, the armor is more resistant than that of the tanks used by Moscow.
Another advantage of the leopards is that they can also fight effectively at night.
All in all, the Leopard 2 tank is considered one of the best main battle tanks in the world, also because of its mobility.
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
Decisive factors of war - Russian winter offensive failed
According to experts, how successful the Ukrainian counter-offensive will be depends not only on the weapons used.
Other decisive factors include the combat morale of the troops, how well they are trained and the weather conditions.
So tanks could get stuck in the muddy ground.
The latter also decides when the leopards are deployed.
While Ukraine is planning its spring offensive, the British Ministry of Defense estimates that the Russian winter offensive has failed.
Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov was unable to achieve Russia's goal of capturing the entire Donbass region.
Russia had to pay for the small successes with enormous losses.
(Gregor-Jose Moser)
List of rubrics: © Daniel Karmann/dpa
