Why Ukraine wants more tanks from allies like Germany in the war with Russia

According to The New York Times, Zelensky and his senior-most military commander, General Valery Zaluzhny, believe that with an anticipated Russian springtime offensive just around the corner, their country desperately needs about 300 Western tanks to not only defend itself but also “make a difference” in its effort to reclaim the lost territories.

So far, the United Kingdom has agreed to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks along with France, which will give AMX-10 RC light combat tanks to Ukraine. The country has already received about 200 T-72 tanks from Poland, the Czech Republic and a small number of other nations. It is also hoping that the United States will soon agree to send its main battle tank, the M1 Abrams.

The Indian Express looks at why tanks are so crucial for Ukraine and how these heavy fighting vehicles, which were once thought to be obsolete, are back in the limelight.

Why does Ukraine need tanks in the war against Russia?

Ever since the Russian invasion began in February 2021, Ukraine has been using Soviet-era tanks. It has also captured around 500 tanks from Russian forces in the past two years, according to a Financial Times report. However, experts suggest tanks such as Leopard 2 and Challenger 2 would provide an armoured fist to Ukraine that can crumble the defence lines of Russia.

Speaking to Politico, a diplomat from one EU country that is considering donating a number of modern battle tanks said, “If Ukraine is going to have any chance of going on the offensive, they need some mobility with heavy guns — it’s not just enough to have military-grade Land Rovers or armoured patrolled vehicles. They need something that can actually destroy Russian tanks at a distance.”

Analysts believe that the areas where tanks can be most effective for Kyiv are its southern region, where the land is flat. It is also where the Russian forces have built trenches and fortified bunkers. The Western tanks can easily trample them down, giving Ukraine the much-needed advantage in the war.

The role of these heavy armours might become even more important in the coming months. According to media reports, there’s a possibility that Ukraine might soon stop getting long-range precision artillery, like the US-built HIMARS, which helped it push back the Russian forces last year. In this scenario, the country would require tanks more than ever. An expert quoted in the Politico report said that to make up for the loss of long-range weaponry, Ukraine would need “a heavier close force — i.e. tanks and fighting vehicles”.

So why aren’t tanks obsolete?

With the rising popularity of drones, long-range precision fire and powerful yet inexpensive anti-tank weaponry, many experts thought tanks are obsolete in modern warfare. However, their use in the Russia-Ukraine battle has once again shown they are the mainstay of most countries’ militaries while providing “a combination of firepower, mobility and shock effect.”

Tanks have repeatedly underlined their importance over the years. They were born towards the end of World War I but used effectively and cleverly, for the first time, by the Nazis in World War II, who made them a key part of their blitzkrieg strategy.

After the Great War, it did seem like tanks were on their way out because most of the countries had by then invented far-superior anti-tank weapons. This became even more evident during the 1973 Arab–Israeli War. The Egyptian military with the help of a Soviet-built anti-tank guided missile system, called 9K11 Maylutkas, destroyed Israeli tanks.

But soon after, defence strategists realised that if tanks are used with enough infantry support and their armour is upgraded, they can prove to be invaluable, especially in urban warfare. For instance, the M1 Abrams was widely used by the US Marines to fight against the insurgents in the Second Battle of Fallujah that took place in 2004.

Therefore, it’s safe to assume that regardless of technological advancements, tanks have beaten all the odds to remain relevant.

An analysis published in Bloomberg quoted British military historian Basil Henry Liddell Hart, who in 1960 wrote, “Time after time during the past 40 years the highest defence authorities have announced that the tank is dead or dying. Each time it has risen from the grave to which they had consigned it — and they have been caught napping.”