UK Prime Minister Agrees to Send Squadron of Tanks to Ukraine

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Saturday that London would send Kiev 12 Challenger 2 tanks.

"The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems," Sunak's office said.

Sunak and Zelenskyy also agreed on "the need to seize on this moment with an acceleration of global military and diplomatic support to Ukraine," in particular, welcoming the commitment by Poland and other countries to start sending tanks to Kiev.

Earlier this week, a UK broadcaster reported, citing sources, that London was considering the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Challenger 2 tanks for the first time since the beginning of Russia's special military operation there. Meanwhile, Sunak's spokesperson said back then the government had not yet made a final decision on the delivery.

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in London said that the decision to send modern samples of heavy armor to Kiev was designed "to persuade other, less belligerent Western countries to follow suit and provide their own tanks to the Ukrainian armed forces."

"As for the Challenger 2 tanks, they will hardly help the Ukrainian military turn the tide in the field. Yet they will become legitimate large-scale targets for the Russian forces," the statement read.

Ukraine has flagged fears of an alleged anticipated Russian offensive in the spring, prompting its Western allies to commit to sending heavier weapons, including tanks, which were never part of earlier arms aid packages.

In December, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, said that Western countries had supplied more than 350 tanks, 700 artillery systems, 100 multiple launch rocket systems, 30 helicopters, at least 5,000 drones, and 1,000 armored fighting vehicles to Ukraine since the start of Russia's special operation. Total foreign financial assistance to Ukraine amounted to almost $100 billion, Gerasimov added.