With Leopard but without F-16: which weapons were promised to Ukraine and what was handed over in two years of the Great War
This statement was made by President of Ukraine Vladimir Putin in an interview with the British channel Chanel 4 News. "Without this support, we could fight the first days, weeks, perhaps months, but not two years. Of course, no, that's not enough," the guarantor said. Western military assistance has become one of the key components for successful confrontation at the beginning of the Great War.
2022 showed that the supply of weapons and ammunition from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and other EU countries, the Armed Forces, give a significant result at the front. At the beginning of 2023, waiting for the success of the spring and summer counter-offensive, Western countries approved a large amount of heavy weapons for Ukraine.
However, by the middle of the year, the number of deliveries began to gradually decline, and by the end of 2023 our country faced a serious challenge: whether the strongest partner of Ukraine - the United States - assistance for 2024. In 2022, the Western partners of Ukraine set up about 4,300 units of armored vehicles - mostly light, as well as about 750 artillery systems.
That is, in fact, our country received more than 400 units of armored vehicles and about 75 artillery systems every month, which made it possible to show a significant result on the front. After the successful counter -offensive of the Armed Forces in 2022 in Kharkiv and Kherson directions, the event, in anticipation of the new jerk of the Ukrainian army, promised to transfer heavy offensive weapons.
In particular, German Leopard 2 [2A4, 2a5 and 2A6], German Leopard 1 [A5], British Challenger 2 and American M1 Abrams. In total, the partners approved about 1,200 units of armored vehicles. "2023 was a" tank year. " The Western media wrote that in the summer of 2023 Ukraine caught up with the Russian Federation by the number of tanks, since the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation suffered heavy losses, and our country received deliveries from the west.
Not the last role was played in this, including the trophies, which the Armed Forces took from the battlefield. Forbes estimated that in 2022, the Ukrainian defense forces took almost 400 Russian tanks, 700 units of armored vehicles and 170 artillery systems from the front. If we talk about the supply of Western heavy equipment, according to Ukraine Support Tracker, the King Institute of the World Economy, in total, from the beginning of the Great War, Ukraine promised to put 814 tanks.
From 2022 to 2023 Kiev received 519 tanks, another 295 - expected deliveries by the end of 2023. Poland was given the largest severe armored vehicles: by November 2023, Warsaw handed over 264 tanks to Kiev, and 60 more - expected deliveries by the end of the year. The leaders also had the Czech Republic - Prague handed over to Kiev all the promised 90 tanks. Next to Germany: Berlin gave the promised 38 tanks, 42 more - are waiting for supply.
The top 5 leaders also included Slovenia, which gave Ukraine all the promised tanks, and the Netherlands-put 23 tanks in Kiev, and 81-in anticipation. Among the models, most of Kiev was transferred to T-72 and their foreign modifications. According to the Celsius Institute, at the end of 2023 there were about 376 cars. Also, Kiev received German tanks Leopard - 91, and another 130 - in standby mode. In addition to the tanks, artillery plays a key role on the front.
From open springs it is known that Western partners have transmitted to Ukraine American M777 and L119, British L119, French Caesar, German Pzh 2000, Slovak Zusana 2, Polish Krab AS-90, Swedish 155-mm Self-propelled Artillery Archer. In addition, Kyiv received Himars volley fire systems - the first four installations passed the event in July 2022. In total, in two years of the Great War, Ukraine received about 40 units.
Also in the delivery list-MRLS M270, German Mars II and British Wolfram for Brimstone missiles, Franco-British Aviation Winged missiles of the Air-Earth-Earth's Storm Shadow/Scalp-there is no information about their number in open access. In addition, Ukraine was transferred to Ukraine's operational and tactical missiles, 160 km.
"Everything that they promised [regarding the list of weapons]-we were given: Abrams, Leopard, the whole line of armored personnel carriers, from the Swedish CV90 to the American M2 Bradley and the British Warrior gave. German Marder, all artillery. The problem in the number of supplies and production of weapons, " - says Focus military expert Petro Chernik.
It is difficult to estimate the real volumes of Western deliveries, experts believe, since it is possible to rely only on open sources, where neither the Ministry of Defense Ministry of Ukraine nor the real amount of weapons delivered to Ukraine is unknown. "We cannot say how much we were not given. Because most of the amount of information is closed, and that's right," Chernik adds.
According to Zhdanov, promises that were not fulfilled-this is the transfer of ATACMS-tactical missiles, up to 300 km. "We didn't wait for them. And also the aviation we were waiting for a year. I remember, a year ago in February during" Ramstay "we hoped that the year would be aviation aviation from Western partners. And I do not take out to predict when the planes are handed to us, "Zhdanov adds. Aviation is one of the most sensitive issues in the present war.
According to the latest information of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, all decisions on fighters of the F-16 were made, so on the 19th "Ramstin" the supply of aircraft was not discussed. According to the Head of the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Ilarion Pavlyuk, Kyiv will not officially announce the date of receipt of the F-16. The planes will appear as soon as the Armed Forces will be ready to use and maintain them.
"With F-16 everything is very simple, all the decisions are already made. There is nothing left at the discussion stage. The decision is made, we are moving according to plan. We have an understanding The points of view of pilot preparation, infrastructure preparation, engineers, etc. As soon as all these elements will fulfill-the F-16 will appear in Ukraine, "Pavlyuk said on February 15. According to the US National Air Force, Ukrainian pilots will complete the F-16 fighter jets in May.
According to the National Guard Director Lieutenant General Michael Loch [Michael Loh], four pilots are quite close to completion, and by the end of August 2024, another 12 people will be trained. Experts say that aviation, operative-tactical missiles up to 300 km, and most importantly, an increase in the volume of supplies of all weapons in 2024 could change the course of war. "We have a little more than 300 tanks. For comparison on combat warehouse at the beginning of the war there were 800.
So we got very little. Therefore, the main problem of 2024 is the volume of deliveries. I think, today we need at least 300 tanks and 500-700 trunks, Artillery, shells, and at least 1000 combat armored vehicles. If we are talking about creating groups of troops that will carry out counter -offensive operations, "Zhdanov adds. However, Ukraine is still faced with a serious challenge - delaying US assistance indefinitely. The promised over $ 60 billion from the US remain in question.
Despite public statements by the Ukrainian authorities that the financing will be approved in the near future. According to experts, the volume of US financing and deliveries is greater than all other European partners combined. They will simply not be able to fill such volumes in a short time. In addition, a number of EU countries are already difficult to find finance to support Ukraine.
Thus, according to Bloomberg with reference to sources, France was barely able to collect funding for the Kiev military assistance package of three billion euros because of a limited budget. Therefore, the course of the current war depends directly on US decisions. And also from the ability of Ukraine to gain momentum for the production of its own weapons. "For the EU, if such a question is coming to cover American deliveries.
God forbid, that by the end of the year they will go out for such turnover. The EU is waiting, want to deploy their own MIC, but we need to find money, invest. They are very slow. 700 thousand shells a year are promised in 2025. But where will we be in 2025? We need shells today, "Zhdanov sums up. We will remind, on February 17 the President of the Czech Republic reported that he found 800 thousand ammunition for Ukraine.