Ukraine deploys British Challenger 2 tanks in Russia incursion, media report

British Challenger 2 tanks have been used during Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Russia that has been ongoing since last week, the BBC and Sky News reported on Aug. 15, citing undisclosed sources.

The U.K. Defense Ministry previously confirmed that there has been no change of policy and Ukraine has the right to use British-supplied weapons – except for long-range Storm Shadow missiles – on Russian territory.

While the ministry did not comment on what specific weapons this entails, sources told the BBC and Sky News that this includes the modern Challenger 2 tanks, 14 of which have been in service with Ukraine at least since January 2023.

At least one British tank was confirmed as destroyed in September 2023.

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.

Kyiv and its partners have remained tight-lipped about the equipment used in the incursion, focused in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Russian media have reported on the use of American Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles, as well as German Marders.

Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which has been operating the Challenger tanks, is reportedly one of the units involved in the Kursk incursion. It remains unclear how many British tanks were deployed and at what capacity.

Ukraine has achieved tactical success in its Kursk incursion, claiming to control 74 Russian settlements as of Aug. 13. Military experts quoted by the BBC said that the quick pace of advance was thanks to the effective use of combined arms like armored vehicles, artillery, and drones.

Opinion: 6 ways Ukraine’s Kursk incursion is changing the tide of war

As becomes clearer with each passing day, the Ukrainian foray into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, which began on Aug. 6, is no minor incident. Kyiv’s unexpected operation on Russian territory could fundamentally change the character of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Ukraine’s attack represents a novel develo…

The Kyiv IndependentAndreas Umland