Like the deliveries of Western tanks, expected by Kiev to emerge from the war of attrition of recent months, Ukrainian needs, and therefore arms deliveries by its allies, have been modeled since the Russian invasion on developments of the battlefield.
The evolution of the battlefield in four moments.
Small arms against the Russian invasion
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launches the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops advanced rapidly, took Kherson on March 3 and attempted to encircle kyiv.
Quickly, the Ukrainians benefited from the first deliveries of weapons by the West. Between February and March, they receive more than 40,000 small arms, 17,000 manpads, portable surface-to-air defense systems, as well as equipment (25,000 helmets, 30,000 bulletproof vests), according to data from Kiel Institute, which lists since the beginning of the war the weapons promised and delivered to Ukraine.
Greece notably sends 20,000 Kalashnikov AK-47s, the United States 6,000 manpads, 5,000 Colt M4 carbines and 2,000 Javelin portable anti-tank missiles, Sweden 10,000 manpads, the Czech Republic 5,000 Vz58 assault rifles and 3,200 Vz59 machine guns.
In an emergency, these lightweight weapons and equipment are easy to deliver, pick up, and move across the battlefield.
Howitzers and rocket launchers to refocus on the Dombass
Faced with fierce resistance in kyiv and Kharkiv, the country’s second city, the Russian army withdrew at the end of March to concentrate its efforts on the territories of Donbass and the south.
In April, artillery deliveries began (howitzers, rocket launchers, etc.), capable of striking behind enemy lines to reach ammunition stocks and block Russian supply chains.
Are delivered until the fall 321 howitzers, including 18 French Caesar guns, 120 infantry vehicles, 49 multiple rocket launchers, 24 combat helicopters, more than 1,000 American drones, as well as 280 Soviet-made tanks, sent mainly by Poland, which the Ukrainian army is used to using.
Ground to air defense to defend against strikes
Despite its withdrawal to eastern and southern Ukraine, Russia is conducting parallel waves of air strikes (kamikaze missiles and drones) on energy infrastructure, urban centers, well beyond the front.
To deal with this, the Ukrainians are asking for anti-missile defense systems. USA provides 8 coins, UK 6 coins, Spain 4 coins and Germany 1 coin.
Washington recently ended up agreeing to deliver to kyiv its Patriot medium-range surface-to-air missile system, considered one of the best anti-aircraft defense devices in Western armies.
Modern tanks to get out of trench warfare
In recent months, trench warfare has erupted in the east and Ukraine fears that a major Russian offensive is in preparation to break through the lines with the arrival of the conscripts. In this context, kyiv calls for Western tanks to seize the initiative, launch an offensive and emerge from the war of attrition.
Several Western countries promised at the end of January to deliver heavy and modern tanks. Washington announced 31 Abrams tanks, London 14 Challenger 2 tanks, Berlin 14 Leopard 2 tanks, reputed to be among the best in the world. The German green light also allowed other Western countries to promise Leopard 2 tanks.
Berlin has also promised at least 100 older Leopard 1 tanks.
Until now, kyiv had only Soviet-made tanks and moreover had lost many of them on the battlefield. Western tanks are more technologically efficient with more precise sighting systems, on-board electronics…