Private Promises A Prize Of IDR 1 Billion For The Russian Army Who Can Defend Western Tanks, The Kremlin: Evidence Of Unity

Illustration of the delivery of the United States Abrams M1 tank. (Wikimedia Commonsn/Eben Boothby)

JAKARTA - The Kremlin welcomes the offer of "gifts" from Russian companies for soldiers destroying Western-made tanks on the battlefield of Ukraine.

Not only that, but the Kremlin said it would also spur Russian troops towards victory.

Fores's Russian company this week offered cash of 5 million rubles or around Rp. 1,063,483,811, to the first army to destroy or arrest the US-made German Abrams or Leopard 2 tanks in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian troops would "burn" every Western tank sent to Ukraine, adding the prize was an extra push for the Russian army.

"This proves the unity and desire of everyone to contribute as best they can, one way or another, directly or indirectly, to achieve the objectives of special military operations," Peskov told reporters.

"For these tanks, we have said they will burn. With such incentives, I think there will be more enthusiasts," Peskov continued.

West-made tanks - much more sophisticated than anything used by Ukraine or Russia in the conflict so far - are unlikely to arrive at the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine over the next few months.