Russia says US battle tanks will 'burn' in Ukraine, calls it 'waste of money'

Russia says heavy battle tanks the United States plans to send to Ukraine "will burn" in the ex-Soviet republic, dismissing the move as an expensive folly.

Reversing its previous position, the administration of US President Joe Biden is due to reveal plans as early as this week to send American-made M1 Abrams tanks, the world’s most powerful, to Ukraine, despite concerns that these tanks, probably numbering at least 30, are too logistically burdensome for Ukrainian forces.

After weeks of hesitations, Germany also finally agreed on Wednesday to provide Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev's troops, overcoming misgivings about sending heavy weaponry to Ukraine.

Moscow, in response, denounced the provocation, saying that while the Abrams shipments were not confirmed, they would be a waste of money.

"I am certain that many specialists understand the absurdity of this idea as well. This plan is quite a losing scheme simply for technological reasons and, importantly, it overestimates the potential it will add to the Ukrainian army. These tanks burn just like all the others," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at a press conference later on Wednesday.

The latest development comes despite Russia's warnings that deliveries of offensive weapons to Ukraine would lead to "a global catastrophe."

"There have been a lot of contradictory statements, media reports, leaks and so on coming from Germany and the United States so far. It is understandable that not everything is smooth there and not everything is so smooth in the [North Atlantic] alliance and not everything is smooth with the availability of tanks," Peskov added.

US, Germany poised to send tanks to Ukraine despite Russia's warning

The United States and Germany are set to send their most advanced tanks to Ukraine, indicating a broad shift in the mood of Western countries, which had so far avoided sending critical weaponry to Kiev and escalating with Russia.

Russia started what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine with the declared aim of "de-Nazifying" the country on February 24, 2022. Since then, the US and Europe have imposed waves of unprecedented economic sanctions on Moscow and have given Ukraine tens of billions of dollars' worth of weaponry, including rocket systems, drones, armored vehicles and communications systems.

The Kremlin has time and again warned the sanctions and the Western military assistance will only prolong the war.

"We have repeatedly said that these tanks go up in flames like all the other armor. They cost a lot and all this burden will be primarily shouldered by European taxpayers. The Americans, however, as always. will at least lose nothing and most likely reap good profits," Peskov further said.

Another reaction to the US plan of sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine came from Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, who said Washington seeks to inflict a “strategic defeat” using Ukraine as a “proxy”, warning that any American battle tanks sent to Ukraine will be destroyed by Russian forces.

“If a decision to transfer to Kiev M1 Abrams is made, American tanks without any doubt will be destroyed, as all other samples of NATO military equipment. The Americans are constantly raising the ‘bar’ of military assistance to their puppet government," the Russian envoy added.

Both Washington and Berlin previously rejected Kiev’s demands for the M1 Abrams and Leopard 2, respectively.

Ukraine has requested at least 300 battle tanks from its Western donors, considering them a game changer in the conflict with Russia.

Russia says tanks UK plans to send to Ukraine ‘will burn’ there

Downing Street says the move shows "the UK

Elsewhere in his remarks, Antonov said Tuesday’s reports about the M1 Abrams were yet another example of a deliberate leak by the White House, adding that Washington is using Ukraine as a “proxy” in order to “inflict strategic defeat on us.” 

“If the United States decides to supply tanks, it will be impossible to justify such a step using arguments about ‘defensive weapons.’ This would be another blatant provocation against the Russian Federation,” the Russian envoy said. “No one should have illusions about who the real aggressor is in the current conflict.”

Antonov said the US has been the true instigator of hostilities. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already warned that any arms shipments on Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk