TheVoiceOfJoyce Ukraine is getting the Leopard and Abrams tanks they need to shift the balance of power in their favor. Ukraine’s have withdrawn from Soledar and will regroup for a Counteroffensive. The International Community is determined to help Ukraine resist Russian’s barbaric and illegal invasion. Russia has not only murdered innocent citizens in their imperial quest for power, they’ve created a Global food crisis.

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www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/jan/25/russia-ukraine-war-live-us-and-germany-expected-to-reveal-tanks-deal-zelenskiy-warns-of-new-wave-of-aggression

The UK’s defence secretary, Ben Wallace, says he is “delighted” that Germany will send Leopard tanks to support Ukraine.

Wallace writes:

It is time for Russia to realise that the International community is increasingly determined to help Ukraine resist their barbaric and illegal invasion.

Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP

@BWallaceMP

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United Kingdom government official

Delighted Germany joins the UK, France & Poland in sending tanks to Ukraine. It is time for Russia to realise that the International community is increasingly determined to help Ukraine resist their barbaric and illegal invasion.   

7:07 AM · Jan 25, 2023

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Last Updated: 07:38 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

41m ago

Leopard 2 tanks could be operational in Ukraine in about three months, Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius has said.

Describing Berlin’s decision to send tanks to Ukraine as “historic”, he said training will be carried out first and then the tanks will be sent to Kyiv.

Last Updated: 07:23 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

51m ago

Scholz: Germany will always be pioneering support for Ukraine

Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, says “we had to break a rule” and change what used to be a practice by supporting Ukraine with weapons deliveries, in addition to financial and humanitarian support.

He says:

In Germany, we had to break and rule and now we supply the most weapons, together with Great Britain. If we sum up what we’ve decided to deliver so far, then we can say that Germany will always be pioneering support for Ukraine.

Last Updated: 07:13 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

1h ago

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is addressing parliament now after the announcement that Berlin will make 14 Leopard tanks available for Ukraine’s war effort, and give partner countries permission to re-export further battle tanks to Kyiv.

Scholz begins his address by saying that he has spoken with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and he says they spoke about “what Germany is doing and what Germany will do”.

Last Updated: 07:08 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

1h ago

Ukraine ‘needs a lot of Leopards’, says presidential aide

President Volodymyr Zelenksiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has welcomed the news that Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv.

“The first tank step has been taken,” he posted to Telegram.

Next is the ‘tank coalition’. We need a lot of Leopards.

Last Updated: 06:53 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

1h ago

Ukraine’s military confirms it has withdrawn from Soledar

Ukraine’s military spokesperson, Serhiy Cherevatyi, has said Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the eastern town of Soledar in the Donetsk region, according to the country’s state broadcaster Suspilne.

SUSPILNE NEWS 

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The Defense Forces of Ukraine left Soledar, Donetsk region, in order to preserve the lives of personnel. Serhii Cherevaty, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces, told @suspilne_news.

6:32 AM · Jan 25, 2023

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His comments are the first Ukrainian confirmation of Soledar’s capture by Russian forces.

Last Updated: 06:47 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

1h ago

Peter Beaumont

Leopard 2 tanks: what are they and why does Ukraine want them?

What is the Leopard 2?

The Leopard 2 is a German-manufactured main battle tank with a range of about 500km (311 miles). It first came into service in 1979 and has a top speed of 68km/h (42mph). Equipped with a 120mm smooth bore gun as its main armament, it is also armed with two coaxial light machine guns.

As well as being used by the German military, Leopard 2 has been in wide service in Europe, with more than a dozen countries using the tank, as well as a number of other countries including Canada. The tanks have been deployed in Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Syria (by Turkey) where several were lost to anti-tank missiles.

Germany’s Leopard 2 is in widespread service across Europe

Main armament

120mm/L44

smoothbore gun with

42 rounds

Secondary armament

Two 7.62mm machine

guns, 16 smoke grenade

dischargers

Crew of four

Commander, gunner,

loader, driver

Armour

Composite

9.67 metres

Mass

55 tonnes

Diesel engine

1500hp/1,100 kW

Operational range

280 – 340 miles

Maximum speed

45mph

Guardian graphic. Source: KMW, Tanks Encyclopedia.com, Military-today.com. Note: Leopard 2 A4 shown

Why does Ukraine want them?

Ukraine has said it has an urgent need for heavier armour in its war against Russia’s invasion. Kyiv has limited availability of tanks, most of them from the Soviet or post-Soviet era.

As well as emphasising its belief that Moscow intends to launch a significant new offensive in the coming months, Kyiv and many of its allies believe that the war will end more quickly if Russia is defeated on the battlefield in Ukraine’s own counter-offensives to take back Russian occupied territory.

While Ukraine has won significant victories – in the battle for Kyiv at the beginning of the war as well as in Kharkiv oblast and around Kherson in the south – it is hampered by a shortage of tanks to support its operations and faced by Russian forces increasingly fielding more modern and capable T-90s.

The widespread availability of Leopards – including in neighbouring Poland, which wants to supply them to Ukraine – makes them a good fit for Kyiv.

Ukraine has suggested it needs 300 tanks, while western analysts have suggested that 100 could probably shift the balance of the war.

Leopard 2 inventories of European and Nato countries

In service

In store

On order

0

100

200

300

400

500

Germany

321

200

Greece

353

Spain

327

Turkey

316

Poland

247

Finland

100

100

*Switzerland

134

Sweden

120

Canada

82

*Austria

56

Hungary

12

44

Norway

36

16

Denmark

44

Portugal

37

Slovakia

1

14

Czech Rep

13

1

Guardian graphic. Source: The International Institute for Strategic Studies. Note: *Austria and Switzerland are not Nato members

Leopard 2 tanks: what are they and why does Ukraine want them?

Last Updated: 06:39 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

2h ago

Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, has also welcomed Germany’s tank announcement on Twitter.

Gabrielius Landsbergis

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It’s official 

5:45 AM · Jan 25, 2023

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Last Updated: 06:33 Wednesday, 25 January 2023

2h ago

Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has also praised Germany’s decision to send tanks to Ukraine.

Mateusz Morawiecki

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Poland government official

Thank you @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz. The decision to send Leopards to Ukraine is a big step towards stopping Russia. Together we are stronger.

5:54 AM · Jan 25, 2023

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