Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

UK confirms delivery of Challenger tanks, artillery to Ukraine in landmark new defense package

by The Kyiv Independent news desk January 15, 2023 1:03 PM 3 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed late on Jan. 14 the delivery of 14 Challenger 2 tanks and around 30 AS90 self-propelled 155mm howitzers as part of a major new package of military aid Ukraine.

The tank squadron will be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks, with the self-propelled artillery following soon after, the U.K. Prime Minister's Office said.

Sunak stressed the need for an international strategy to break the stalemate in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“The prime minister is clear that a long and static war only serves Russia’s ends,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Equipped with state-of-the art targeting technology and advanced armor, the Challenger 2 is considered to be superior to the Soviet-era tanks currently operated by both sides in the war.

The U.K. will start training the Ukrainian forces to use the Challenger tanks and guns in the coming days. The nation has already provided basic training to Ukrainian soldiers as part of Operation Interflex, launched in July 2022 and involving instructors from eleven other nations.

Citing a “senior defense official”, British tabloid The Mirror reported on Jan. 15 that the U.K. will also send four Apache attack helicopters, armed with Hellfire missiles to Ukraine. The full details of the new U.K. military aid package will be released on Jan. 16.

As the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches, the move, labelled the “start of a gear change in the UK’s support,” is part a significant change of wind among Ukraine’s partners, committing Western-built tanks for the first time to improve Ukraine’s capacity for offensive operations.

The announcement comes four days after Polish President Andrzej Duda announced the delivery of twelve German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Duda said that the tanks would be delivered as part of a growing “international coalition” to provide Ukraine with Western-built tanks, with several European nations including Finland signalling their willingness to contribute.

Any delivery of German-built Leopard tanks must still be approved by Berlin, which has yet to give an official all-clear. On Jan. 13, Bloomberg reported that Germany would announce its final decision ahead of the next round of the Rammstein defense summit on Jan. 20.

Ukraine's Christmas wish list: What is needed to end the war quickly

The U.K. will commit £2.3 billion ($2.77 billion) in aid to Ukraine in 2023, the UK’s Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced on Dec. 29.

“Another £2.3 billion worth of support next year, and in that we make sure they have the weapon systems they need, and at the moment, the United Kingdom will go and help them buy itafrom elsewhere around the world,” Wallace said.

The Sunak government believes a window of opportunity has opened up in the where Russia is on the back foot due to resupply issues and plummeting morale, Downing Street said.

For this reason, the government is urgining its allies to deploy planned support for 2023 as soon as possible to have maximum impact.

This week, U.K.’s foreign and defense secretaries will meet counterparts to stimulate international action in a “flurry of diplomacy,” the press release said.

Wallace will travel to Estonia and Germany this week to work with NATO allies and other international partners. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will travel to the U.S. and Canada.

After months of negotiations, Germany announced on Jan. 5 that it would provide Ukraine with Marder infantry fighting vehicles. The U.S. jointly announced it would send 50 Bradley fighting vehicles on the same day, while France said it would provide AMX-10 RC wheeled tank destroyers.

As part of Lithuania's 40 million euro military aid commitment for Ukraine over 2023, President Gitanas Naseda also announced on Jan. 11 the delivery of more air defense systems.

Poland to deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

3:44 PM

Russian ICBM strike would be 'clear escalation,' EU says.

"While we're assessing the full facts, it's obvious that such (an) attack would mark yet another clear escalation from the side of (Russian President Vladimir Putin," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said, according to AFP.
1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.
11:54 PM

Biden seeks to cancel over $4.5 billion of Ukraine's debt.

"We have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine, and now Congress is welcome to take it up if they wish," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Nov. 20.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.