Experts on the Russian side are convinced that Ukraine will get the Leopard 2 tanks that it is demanding. “Most likely, they will ‘push through’ the decision to provide the tanks, but then the alliance will have to walk a tightrope,” Fyodor Lukyanov, the research director of the Valdai International Discussion Club, told TASS. In this case, Russia will not only threaten to retaliate, but actually do so, he forecast. “Strikes on supply routes and warehouses will follow. If we continue to condone such supplies, then the last fears in the West will disappear: what’s the point of being cautious, if Russia does not retaliate?”
The Kiev regime is also expecting to get the German-made tanks. An unnamed Ukrainian military official told ABC News that 12 countries agreed at last Friday’s Ramstein meeting to provide Ukraine with 100 Leopard 2 tanks, in total, contingent on Germany providing the required export licenses. The official apparently did not provide a list, but ABC notes that Poland and Finland have already promised tanks to Ukraine, and the official also named Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
The official also said that the Leopard tanks were urgently needed by Ukraine, because its stocks of ammunition for its Soviet-era tanks are “running out.” Ukraine is unable to produce new ammunition for these Soviet era tanks, “so this forced us to find an alternative way.” The Leopard 2 is armed with a 120mm smoothbore cannon, ammunition for which is also not produced in Ukraine and so would have to be provided in large quantities by NATO countries.
