Instead of a “tractor with a gun” armored “Humvees”, missiles and RPGs – how the West armed Ukraine to protect against the Russian Federation

Against the background of the threat of Russian invasion, the UK has provided Ukraine with new anti-tank weapons systems. The Segodnya website found out what kind of military assistance is provided to Ukraine by the United Kingdom and other allies, how effective it is, and whether the Armed Forces of Ukraine can resist the enemy on their own.

Grenade launchers from Britain

The dispatch of a batch of light anti-tank weapons systems to Ukraine was reported by British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. As the official noted, tens of thousands of Russian troops with tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery and missiles are concentrated near the Ukrainian border. In this regard, on January 17, the UK sent two C-17 transport aircraft with weapons and military personnel to Ukraine, which will conduct a briefing and then return to their homeland.

“This weapon is not a strategic weapon and does not pose a threat to Russia, but is intended for self-defense”, the minister stressed.

The minister did not specify what kind of weapons Britain would give Ukraine, but, as a rule, various types of grenade launchers belong to “light anti-tank weapons”. About this “Today” says military expert Oleg Zhdanov.

In his opinion, we can talk about LAW80 (Light Antitank Weapon) and NLAW / MBT LAW hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers of the Swedish-British production, which are in service with the British army.

“RPGs are effective and often decide the fate of a battle. With the help of grenade launchers, you can blow up tanks, and then destroy their crews with automatic fire,” Zhdanov explains to us.

The expert notes that the new model of the MBT grenade launcher can hit the target with both a direct shot and an attack from above.

“Efficiency is reminiscent of the operation of the Javelin missile systems, which have a probability of hitting a target of more than 90%. This is a modern weapon, not junk gathering dust in warehouses,” says Zhdanov.

At the same time, Zhdanov regrets that the allies did not provide Ukraine with artillery and air defense systems.

“Today, the United States is discussing the possibility of transferring Stinger portable anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. These MANPADS at one time changed the course of the war in Afghanistan and inflicted significant damage on the Soviet troops,” says Zhdanov.

Small arms from USA

It is too early for Ukraine to talk about American Stingers, but in December 2021 it became known that the United States would send small arms and ammunition to our country. This was reported Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.

New Bayraktars from Turkey

In the near future, Turkey will supply 24 Bayraktar attack drones to Ukraine. However, as reported Head of the Defense Industry Directorate of the Republic of Turkey Ismail Demir in a comment to Hürriyet, the deliveries of Bayraktars are not related to the situation on the Ukrainian-Russian border, but are carried out according to a preliminary contract.

Recall that in 2021, Ukraine bought 12 Bayraktar TB2 from Turkey – these are 2 sets of 6 aircraft each, several control stations and several hundred ammunition for them.

“In 2021-2022, it is planned to purchase 4 more such systems. In the future, we plan to replenish the arsenal with locally produced drones”, then said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, adding that we are talking about another 24 drones.

What did Ukraine get from the allies in 2021

• The United States supplied Ukraine with 30 Javelin anti-tank missile systems, 180 ammunition for them, 55 armored vehicles HMMWV (“Humvee” better known as “Hammer” – ed.), 84 rigid-hull inflatable boats RHIB and RIB, 2 Island patrol boats, first aid kits and means radar surveillance.
• Latvia donated 7 Land Rover Defender ambulances to Ukraine.
• Lithuania – almost 500 body armor and other equipment.
• Great Britain – a SPARK wheeled anti-mine trawl, designed to clear the paths of military columns from explosive objects.

Germany will not give weapons

But the position of Germany regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine remains unchanged – the FRG will not give us weapons. This was statedGerman Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock during a meeting with Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba January 17.

According to the diplomat, Germany will do everything to prevent further escalation of the crisis through diplomatic channels, and is also ready to provide medical assistance to the Ukrainian military if necessary.

In turn, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba said that the dialogue between Ukraine and Germany on the supply of weapons will continue.

News of Ukroboronprom

The Ukrainian defense industry is also trying to develop. So in 2021, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received a number of domestically developed military innovations. Among them:

• BTR Oncilla 4X4. The vehicle is armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun and is capable of carrying 9 to 11 people protected from armor-piercing and incendiary rounds and mines.
• The BM-21U “Verba” multiple launch rocket system, developed on the basis of the Soviet BM-21 “Grad”. Of the improvements, “Verba” received navigation, an automated reloading system, and a 2-fold increased firing range.
• Complex R-360MTs “Neptune”, designed to destroy warships. The complex is equipped with cruise missiles with a range of up to 300 km. The homing R-360 is capable of capturing a target at a distance of up to 50 km, while it is not visible to radars.
• Short-haul transport aircraft with turbojet engines AN-178. The flight range is up to 5.5 thousand km, the speed is 825 km/h, and the flight altitude is 12 km. The cost of a unit is 40-70 million dollars. The Antonov State Enterprise has completed the construction of the first of three aircraft intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian military-industrial complex has moved off the dead center and stopped. 10 new armored personnel carriers are a drop in the ocean,” Zhdanov tells us.

Repaired “tractors” under the guise of new tanks

According to the expert, instead of actively producing modern weapons, officials report on the rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, showing experimental samples and planned repairs of old combat vehicles.

“We cannot mass-produce artillery barrels. This is what our army really needs. We cannot modify equipment using the Verba, developed 15 years ago, and the Bulat tank, a pitiful copy of the Soviet T-64, created by in the 1960s, which everyone calls “a tractor with a gun.” Unfortunately, today our Western partners care more about the security of Ukraine than our own country,” says Zhdanov.

Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Igor Romanenko Segodnya also says that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in dire need of modern weapons, since they are significantly inferior in quantity to the Russian army.

“The share of modern weapons in our country does not exceed 20%, while the weapons of the Russian army have been updated by 65-80%,” says Romanenko.

Ukraine climbed in the ranking of the armies of the world

However, in 2021, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have risen in the ranking of the combat effectiveness of the armies of the world, taking 22nd place out of 140 according to the Global Firepower Index.

The U.S. armed forces topped the list. In second place was Russia. The Ukrainian army is located in 22nd place between Taiwan and Canada, while in 2020 Ukraine ranked 27th.

Military experts are sure that it was not the rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that contributed to the rise in the rating, since it is taking place at a very slow pace, but the hostilities in the Donbass, in which the fighters of the Ukrainian army are forced to take part from time to time.

“The situation in the Donbass and near the Russian border shows the whole world that Ukraine, not being armed with modern weapons, is ready to resist the aggressor and fight with its sovereignty. This is what raises it in the army rating,” Zhdanov is sure.

General Romanenko added that Ukraine needs not only to ask for help from the allies, but also urgently develop its own defense industry.

“In the event of war, the shortage of modern weapons will have to be compensated by an increase in the number of soldiers with less effective low-quality weapons. This will lead to losses and tragic consequences,” Romanenko summed up.

Earlier, the Segodnya website reported that the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Canada and Germany intend to strengthen military cooperation with Ukraine because of the threat of Russian aggression. In particular, Lithuania has already approved a military support plan for Ukraine, according to which the number of instructors for the training mission will be increased, as well as thermal imagers will be purchased.

We also informed that the White House has prepared several options for deterring Russia from attacking Ukraine and has developed a new “military aid” package.

In the meantime, the EU will provide Ukraine with 31 million euros to strengthen its defense capabilities under the newly created European Peace Fund.