Potential tank deliveries show West’s direct involvement in Ukraine war: Russia

Russia says it sees the promised delivery of Western tanks to Kiev as evidence of a direct and growing involvement by the United States and Europe in the Ukraine war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Thursday while reacting to announcements by the United States and Germany that they would arm Ukraine with dozens of battle tanks.

“There are constant statements from European capitals and Washington that the sending of various weapons systems to Ukraine, including tanks, in no way signifies the involvement of these countries or the alliance in hostilities in Ukraine,” he said.

“We categorically disagree with this, and in Moscow, everything that the alliance and the capitals I mentioned are doing is seen as direct involvement in the conflict. We see that this is growing,” Peskov added.

Ukraine has been seeking a considerable number of modern tanks to break Russia’s defensive lines. So far, Ukraine and Russia have been relying primarily on Soviet-era T-72 tanks.

President Joe Biden of the United States has said the tanks were needed to help the Ukrainians “improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain.”

Russian military commentators have focused much attention on the German-made Leopard tanks, which both Berlin and other European NATO members are set to send to Ukraine.

Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's Security Council, has said, “The course of the special military operation in Ukraine shows that the US and NATO intend to continue making efforts to drag out this military conflict and have become its participants.” He said “even with the end of the 'hot phase' of the conflict in Ukraine, the Anglo-Saxon world will not stop the proxy war against Russia and its allies.”

Germany, US agree to send tanks to Ukraine

Germany and the United States have announced they would deliver powerful and sophisticated tanks to Kiev.

Defense analysts say the German tanks are a threat but not a game-changer. They say such a number of tanks is not capable of turning the tide on a large-scale front.

On Thursday, reports said France and Italy are close to finalizing the technical details to supply an SAMP/T air defense system to Ukraine, although it was unclear how quickly a final decision would come.

Also, Canada said it will join the US, Germany and other countries in supplying heavy tanks to Ukraine, with a shipment of four fully operational Leopards.

"These four tanks are combat-ready and will be deployed over the coming weeks," Defense Minister Anita Anand told a news conference, adding that the number of tanks provided by Canada could eventually rise.

Britain's government said it was aiming to send tanks to Ukraine at the end of March, with training starting next week.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters that "everything is going according to plan", after Britain this month became the first Western ally to promise heavy assault vehicles for Ukraine with a plan to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks. 

British training of Ukrainian soldiers in how to use and maintain the Challenger 2s would start "next week, on Monday", UK junior defense minister Alex told parliament.

Kiev has asked its Western allies for more air defense systems and specifically requested the SAMP/T, known as Mamba, in November.

France's Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu will reportedly travel to Italy on Friday to meet his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto, with both sides wanting to push ahead with the SAMP/T talks.

The system, a joint Franco-Italian consortium can allegedly track dozens of targets and intercept 10 at once and is the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles. 

Paris has previously supplied Mistral shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine and the Crotale short-range anti-air missiles, which are used to intercept low-flying missiles and aircraft.

Russia responded to to the new Western pledges of military assistance with a barrage of missiles and drones, killing at least 11 people. 

Eleven others wounded in the strikes, which spanned 11 regions and also damaged 35 buildings, a state emergency service spokesperson said. 

Ukraine claimed it had shot down all 24 drones sent overnight by Russia, including 15 around the capital, and 47 of 55 Russian missiles - some fired from Tu-95 strategic bombers in the Russian Arctic.

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