British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak guarantees to ship Challenger 2 tanks after cellphone name with Ukraine chief Zelenskyy.
The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pledging to offer tanks and artillery methods to Ukraine amid renewed missile assaults by Russia on Ukrainian cities.
Sunak supplied to ship Challenger 2 tanks and different artillery methods in a name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, the British chief’s Downing Road workplace mentioned in an announcement.
The assertion didn’t say what number of or when the tanks could be delivered to Ukraine.
Sunak mentioned the tanks had been an indication of the UK’s “ambition to accentuate our assist to Ukraine”, in keeping with a readout of a cellphone name with Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the army assist on Twitter, saying “the choices that won’t solely strengthen us on the battlefield, but additionally ship the precise sign to different companions.”
At all times sturdy assist of the UK is now impenetrable and prepared for challenges. In a dialog with the Prime Minister, @RishiSunak, I thanked for the choices that won’t solely strengthen us on the battlefield, but additionally ship the precise sign to different companions.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 14, 2023
Russia reacted to the UK’s pledge and warned it will solely “intensify” the battle.
“Bringing tanks to the battle zone, removed from drawing the hostilities to a detailed, will solely serve to accentuate fight operations, producing extra casualties, together with among the many civilian inhabitants”, the Russian embassy within the UK mentioned.
Ukraine has been asking to be provided with heavier tanks for months, together with the US Abrams and the German Leopard 2 duties. Nevertheless, some Western leaders have been treading fastidiously.
Poland and the Czech Republic have offered Soviet-era T-72 tanks to the Ukrainian military.
Whereas Poland has additionally expressed readiness to offer Leopard tanks, President Andrzej Duda underscored that the transfer would solely be doable as part of a bigger worldwide coalition of tank assist to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, France mentioned it will ship AMX-10 RC armoured fight automobiles to Ukraine, designated “mild tanks” in France. The US and Germany introduced the identical week that they’d ship Bradley preventing automobiles and Marder armoured personnel carriers, respectively, for the primary time.
The UK’s resolution to offer the tanks got here as Russian forces fired missiles at Ukraine’s capital and different cities across the nation on Saturday, hitting key infrastructure.
At the least 5 folks had been killed and greater than 20 wounded within the southeastern metropolis of Dnipro, the place a Russian missile assault destroyed a piece of an condominium constructing, regional Governor Valentyn Reznichenko mentioned.
Infrastructure amenities had been additionally hit within the western Lviv area and northeastern Kharkiv. Kyiv, the capital, was additionally focused.