Ukrainian defenders are expected to undergo increased training and training in working with Western tanks, which are very different from the usual Soviet ones.

Ukraine is expecting the delivery of about a hundred Western-made Leopard 2 and Challenger 2 tanks, as well as more than 30 American Abrams.

More modern Western tanks will replace the Soviet models on which Ukrainian defenders fought last year. The prospect of changing outdated equipment is compared by the military to changing a car, according to the Financial Times article.

“It’s like if you had a car from the 1950s, and then you got into a Porsche,” comments the ZSU instructor.

Next month, Ukrainian defenders will have to face a significant increase in training – in connection with training in the use of German Leopard 2 tanks, which are very different from the Soviet ones they are used to. Tactical training is also needed – tanks need to integrate with infantry, artillery, air defense systems and electronic warfare (the so-called joint military maneuver).

Analysts note that tanks combined with artillery and infantry will be vital to any Ukrainian offensive or defensive operation in the future. At the same time, they emphasize that one should not make hasty conclusions that “tanks will win this war on their own.”

“But this is an important contribution, and they will give Ukraine a better chance of success in 2023 and 2024,” emphasizes Rob Lee, a senior researcher at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

Ukraine is expected to receive two Leopard 2 divisions from such countries as Germany, Poland, Spain and others. The first battalion of 40 Leopard 2s is expected in about three months. Earlier this month, the first Ukrainian military arrived in Germany for training on the Marder armored personnel carrier, training will soon begin at the training ground in Münster, Lower Saxony. Training with Leopard tanks, as announced by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, will begin a little later. Also this month, the United States began joint military training for Ukrainians at a training ground in Bavaria. American Abrams tanks will also be connected later. They will appear in Ukraine soon. Their deployment will take at least several months, and the training of the tank crew, according to the data of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, requires at least five to six weeks.

Tanks for Ukraine – what you should know

The day before, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Ukraine’s current needs for Western equipment to fight against the Russian invaders include 300-500 tanks.

Earlier, the German government dared to transfer 14 Leopard 2 tanks of its production to Ukraine. In addition, Berlin gave the “green light” to the re-export of these tanks to other countries. In addition, US President Joe Biden announced the transfer of 31 Abrams tanks.

A number of other countries have declared their readiness to transfer tanks to Ukraine (Poland, Spain, Norway, Finland and others). Ambassador of Ukraine to France Vadym Omelchenko stated that on January 27, “many countries officially confirmed their agreement to supply Ukraine with 321 heavy tanks.”

At the same time, the supply of tanks will require time for their preparation, for the training of the Ukrainian military, and so on. Ukrainian President Zelensky called on the West to speed up, as the tanks may arrive too late.