The first transfer of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine will take place, according to Germany, “in late March and early April.” This does not imply that they will be available to Ukrainian frontline forces this spring. The long-awaited arrival of these tanks in Ukraine is just the beginning of a very difficult and drawn-out process.
Key points
Washington and Berlin came to a basic understanding. The challenge now was to securely and quickly transport German and American heavy armoured tanks to the Ukrainian front. In order to combat the upcoming Russian offensive planned for this spring, Ukraine urgently needs these reinforcements, as Volodymyr Zelensky recalled in his speech on January 25. Germany specifies a window for delivery of “early to late March
The West has so far had no trouble supplying military hardware valued at tens of billions of dollars. In what military experts refer to as a cat-and-mouse game that Ukraine is winning, Russia hasn’t officially been able to assault an armaments convoy, according to a report from the American media outlet “The New York Times” on January 25.
rarely known machines
However, Moscow had prioritised destroying the German Leopard 2 tanks as much as the American Abrams. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, threatened, “They will burn.”
On Ukrainian roadways, large vehicles weighing more than 55 tonnes are not permitted. According to Jeff Hahn, a Russian military analyst and external adviser to the New Lines Institute, a US geopolitical think tank, “it’s a big logistical challenge.”
According to “The New York Times,” the specifics of this operation are “the best kept secrets of this conflict.” You must first choose where deposits will be delivered. According to Jeff Hahn, “transfer into Ukrainian hands will most likely occur in a European NATO country neighbouring Ukraine (Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia) for security reasons.” There’s little doubt that neither the Americans nor the Germans would want to put their soldiers at risk of a Russian strike on Ukrainian territory.
The Cheetah 2s and Abrams must be transported to the front lines on their own after the Ukrainian army has acquired them. The German Leopard 2s are a bit simpler to handle and maintain because their design is closer to what the Ukrainians are accustomed to, and with modern tanks, it’s not just about jumping in the car and heading to the Donbass. However, with Abrams tanks, a completely new electrical environment, along with a very particular engine and fuel, “summarises it. Steve Hahn
Convoys therefore consist of more than only armoured vehicles. Additionally, they should have fuel reserves, spare parts for mechanical breakdowns, and staff who are properly educated to maintain and run these war machines on a regular basis.
devices that can quickly occupy a lot of area and are simpler for the Russians to find Therefore, it was improbable that the Ukrainians would deploy all of the heavy tanks they were scheduled to receive—31 Abrams and 14 Leopard 2 tanks—to the front line at once. According to Jeff Hahn, “They establish groupings of four to six tanks.”
Highway or railroad?
After that, you must select how to obtain them. headache Huseyn Aliyev, a specialist on the conflict between Ukraine and Russia at the University of Glasgow, stated, “The railway may look enticing, but the Russians know the Ukrainian railway network very well and will observe it diligently if they really want to destroy those tanks.
The alternative of the highway is not very appealing. Because of their weight, some roadways cannot withstand heavy tanks. Huseyn Aliyev pointed out that, for instance, “Ukraine has bridges intended to support the maximum weight of a Soviet tank, which is lighter than these latest Western ones.”
Utilizing the busiest, most exposed main routes may therefore be the best option. Not to mention that flatbed trucks must be built in order to transport them since, according to Jeff Hahn, “we’re not going to operate these tanks to conserve as much petrol as possible in the tank.”
The experts that were interviewed thought that there would likely be a combination of modes of transportation in these circumstances. A little rail, some road, and/or the opposite… But Huseyn Aliyev added, “always at night and with the best possible camouflage.”
As a result, the path taken is meticulously planned. And when they send in armoured platoons, the Ukrainians are likely to set up various routes and alternate them.
Time for a springtime assault?
Jeff Hahn acknowledges that it is “a very progressive process that takes a lot of time.” But Ukraine only has a little supply of this material.
A US military official who spoke to the New York Times said that the transfer of the Abrams to Ukraine “may take more than a year.” But
If American-made armoured vehicles are involved
Fortunately for Kyiv, “some of these tanks are housed in warehouses in Europe, including Germany,” according to Jeff Hahn. If D is moved.
You must also consider the lengthy, months-long training required for these extremely modern American tanks. The public announcement of the transportation of tanks, in contrast, “just verifies the decision made behind the scenes,” according to Huseyin Aliyev. The Ukrainians must have started receiving training in the usage of Leopard and Abrams several months ago. What assurance is there that military hardware will be delivered in time to take part in the defence against a hypothetical Russian military spring offensive?
