The real change in the coming weeks?
Delivery, training time and ground conditions will be decisive in the coming weeks of the clash. The sooner the tanks are delivered, the sooner Ukrainian soldiers can be trained in their applications and the sooner these tanks can be fielded.
For Samuel Longuet, a research fellow at GRIP, a group for research and information on peace and security, the operational advantage will be brought to Ukrainian forces, “But to see When and to what extent?“, he asks himself.
“For Abrams tanks, the Americans have already said that we will have to wait several months”, The expert points out. “And at the level of the German Panther tanks, they are expected to be delivered at the beginning of spring. Therefore, we will have to wait a few more months for the Ukrainians to take charge of the new equipment”.
According to him, once delivered, mastering the equipment can be completed very quickly: “The trainings take about one and a half months. We saw that the Ukrainians were able to learn faster than normal training in other weapons systems already provided by the West. But it will take several weeks for them to be operational and reach the front lines.”
Delivery speed and deployment in the field will determine progress in the coming weeks Russia may plan a new offensive at the end of winter.
According to GRIP, the tanks promised by the West would help consolidate the current front line against Russian attacks, but would also give Ukraine enough power to recapture areas occupied by Vladimir Putin’s troops.
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