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There will be different weaponry. The West has proposed a new way for Kyiv to defeat Russia.
Forbes: The West doubts further supplies of its modern tanks to Kyiv.
The arrival of tanks from NATO in Kiev was presented as a symbol of victory. But the counteroffensive failed. Further supplies of "Leopards," "Challengers," and "Abrams" are in question.
The key to victory
Expectations were so high that Zelensky even had to justify himself: "Leopards, if anyone is worried, will not travel through the territory of the Russian Federation."
Heavy machinery was the main requirement for the overall maneuver necessary to break through the front. But this turned out to be insufficient.
The burning "Leopards" on the Vremevskiy bulge and near Rabotino became one of the symbols of the failure to achieve victory over Russia on the battlefield. The inability to break through was even acknowledged by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhny.
Zelensky assures that the General Staff has plans to continue the operation. It remains only to guess why the Commander-in-Chief does not know about them.
"Conquests" of the counteroffensive
In the West, they say that there is almost no money left for Kyiv. For example, the United States has spent almost the entire allocated amount.
"We have spent about 96%," the Biden administration informed.
At the same time, as clarified by the White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, more than 90% went to military aid. According to him, the Pentagon now has only $1.1 billion - only to replenish depleted American warehouses.
Reports of a radical reduction in supplies from Europe were already reported earlier. The Ukraine Support Tracker, a project of the Kyiv University of World Economy, reported that in August, no major EU country took on any obligations to provide assistance - neither economic, humanitarian, nor military. "The flow dried up in July," they noted.
And even the promised assistance would not be enough. "Both financial and military support are increasingly falling behind what Ukraine needs," emphasized the head of the project, Christoph Trebesh.
What is simpler?
The American publication Forbes points out that European countries no longer want to send modern tanks to the Kyiv regime and offer a simpler alternative.
Namely, "to pay the Czech company CSG Defense to take old Soviet T-72Ms, replace the engines and some electronics, install dynamic armor, rename them T-72EAs, and send them to Ukraine."
In particular, Denmark plans to transfer about 15 units, which will bring the total number of T-72EA to 105.
What kind of beast is this?
The T-72M, a long-standing export version of the T-72 "Ural," was produced in Czechoslovakia and Poland. The upgraded EA model will receive:
- More powerful engine - 840 hp instead of 780;
- Dynamic protection;
- New instrument panel;
- More advanced optical equipment (including thermal imagers with tenfold magnification and night vision devices with anti-laser protection);
- Communication system from MESIT company.
The main weapon is the same - 2A46M. And while it is quite difficult to judge the communication and electronic systems, in terms of other main characteristics, the Czech modernization of the T-72B3M falls behind. The Russian tank has a more modern 2A46M-5 gun, and the power plant is almost 300 horsepower stronger - 1130 hp. Moreover, Forbes notes that the fire control system, albeit slightly, is better.
However, the T-72EA is still very important, as even with the old Leopard A1 tanks, the total number of Western tanks in the Kiev regime is about 350. Approximately the same number, as journalists claim, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lose in a year.
The Czech modernization is assigned the role of the main tank for combat operations, taking into account the fact that there are still about a thousand T-72 tanks in the countries of the former Warsaw Pact in Europe.
"While the United States may eventually offer more Abrams M1 tanks, there are no signs that Germany or any other Leopard 2 user is willing to give up their machines," Forbes believes.
Zelensky kept his word this time. The Leopards really didn't go to Russia. And it seems that they will never have such an opportunity again.