NATO allies and their partners have provided Ukraine with 230 battle tanks and 1,550 armored vehicles to help it counter the Russian offensive and retake territory, the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.
NATO and its partners have delivered almost all combat vehicles promised in recent months to Ukraine. ” Allies and partners of the US-led contact group have sent 230 tanks, 1,550 armored vehicles and significant amounts of ammunition, 98% of the promised equipment, to Ukraine to equip nine new armored brigades “, specified the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, during a press conference.
” All in all, the Ukrainians have the capabilities they need to take back more territory “, underlined the head of the Atlantic Alliance. Since the start of the Russian offensive in February 2022, NATO members have also provided Soviet-made anti-aircraft defense systems, artillery and MIG-29 fighter jets held by Poland and Russia. Czech Republic. They have also trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers on the weapons used by NATO armies.
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But despite this estimate of 98% of the materials promised already delivered – difficult to confirm – certain major weapons will not be deliverable or usable, including training, for many months. The United States will only deliver Abrams tanks by the fall, the Pentagon said in March. In principle, this should only happen after the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive.
” The time of the rise of industrial production chains in the West means that deliveries of new Caesar guns or new ammunition are delayed, observes General Jérôme Pellistrandi, editor-in-chief of the review National Defensejoined by RFI. It will sometimes be necessary to wait until June, see September or even 2024 to have certain equipment. We have to be sure that the Ukrainians will have all the necessary means when they decide to launch their offensive. The Western countries are not in a position to provide a second counter-offensive in the event of failure of that of the next few weeks. It will have to succeed the first time. »
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“We will be at the side of Ukraine”
Several Western analysts point out that much of the equipment delivered only replaced old ones that had been destroyed in combat since the start of the war. They also believe that Ukraine is in big trouble on its stocks of ammunition, the daily use of which exceeds the rhythm of deliveries and obliges the units of kyiv to a form of rationing in combat.
” Classified documents recently leaked from the US Department of Defense warn that Ukrainian air defense is almost out of missiles “Wrote Mark Cancian of the American think tank CSIS on Tuesday April 25. The medium-term outlook is tricky. Jens Stoltenberg has, in fact, called for not ” never underestimate ” Russia. ” Russian forces may lack quality, but they are making up for it in quantity and Moscow continues to mobilize more personnel. We will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes and we will provide what it needs “, promised the Secretary General of NATO.
Jen Stoltenberg recalled that ” if we want a peaceful and negotiated solution that allows Ukraine to establish itself as a sovereign and independent nation, the best way to achieve that is to provide military support to Ukraine, just as the NATO allies. »
(And with AFP)