JAKARTA - The UK is considering supplying Ukraine with the main combat tank (MBT) Challenger 2 for the first time against the Russian invasion, according to unnamed sources and knowing this.
Western sources said discussions had been going on for several weeks on the delivery of a number of UK Army Challenger 2 tanks to the Ukrainian military.
The move is considered to mark a significant increase in Western support for UKraine, prompting other NATO allies, particularly Germany, to follow suit.
"That will encourage others to provide tanks," said a Ukrainian source, quoted by Sky News on January 10.
Although London has yet to make a final decision, if realized, Britain will be the first country to fulfill Ukraine's desire to strengthen its military with Western tanks.
One of the sources said Britain was likely to offer about 10 Challenger 2 tanks, enough power to complete a squadron.
He explained that although this would not be a game changer, it would be significant because it broke down a barrier that has so far 'prevented' allies from sending Western tanks to Ukraine, considering Russia's assessment as an escalation increase.
"This would be a good precedent to show (to) others - to Germany first, with their Leopard... and (M1) Abrams from the United States," said the Ukrainian source.
Ukraine has long asked German-produced Leopard II tanks to be used by several European allies, including Germany, Poland, Finland, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Warsaw and Helsinki have signaled a willingness to supply their Leopard tanks to Kyiv, but this requires approval from Berlin as Germany holds an export license.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz chose a more careful approach, to equip Ukraine with weapons than other countries such as Britain and the United States.
Meanwhile, Britain's Ministry of Defense will neither confirm nor deny that the British government is considering supplying tanks to Ukraine.
A spokesman said: "The government has committed to providing military assistance to Ukraine worth last year's aid, or exceeding it for 2023. And we will continue to build recent donations with training and further equipment."
Last year, Britain sent 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Poland as part of an agreement to help Ukraine by freeing Warsaw' capacity to supply Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Kyiv.
Entering military service since 1994, the 62.5-ton Challenger 2 tank is equipped with a 120mm main canon and a 7.62mm machine gun. This tank was previously deployed to Bosnia and during the 2003 Iraqi War.
Colonel Hamish de Bretton Gordon, former commander of the 1st Royal Tank Registry, said the introduction of Western tanks could "build balance" on the battlefield that benefits Ukraine.
"Strategically, it sends a very firm message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, that nothing is wrong," he said.
"Challenger 2 and Leopard II are modern tanks. They are much more protected, more reliable, faster," he added.
So far, the Ukrainian military operates Soviet-era tanks such as the T-72, including some that have been supplied by partners who also use them. The Russian military also mostly relies on tanks produced during the Cold War.
Yesterday, the Kremlin said new arms shipments to Ukraine would not change the course of the conflict, only deepening the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
"This supply will not be able to change anything. It can only add to the pain of the Ukrainian people and prolong their suffering. They were unable to stop us from achieving the objectives of a special military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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