JOHN VARGA
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Challenger and Leopard tanks have all the attributes to completely change the course of the Ukraine war, military experts have told Express.co.uk. Ukraine has consistently called on its Western allies to provide it with modern tanks to help its army expel Russian forces from its territory. Defence analysts have estimated that Kyiv will need at least 300 tanks, if it is to be successful in its campaign against Putin.
Oleh Zhdanov, a Ukrainian military expert told the Associated Press that Kyiv's victory over the Kremlin would depend to a large extent on the West's willingness to supply his country with "modern tanks and planes."
With HIMARS slowly becoming less effective, as Russia's army repositions its military supplies and forces further away from the front lines and out of range, tanks are becoming ever more crucial to helping Kyiv achieve further breakthroughs on the battlefield.
The heavy armoured vehicles will allow Ukraine's army to retake fortified positions in key cities along the front line.
Britain has already pledged to supply Ukraine's army with 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks.
And now it appears that Germany will green-light Poland's request to send 14 of its Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
In an interview with the French TV station LCI, Berlin's Foreign Secretary Annalena Baerbock said her government would "not stand in the way" of Poland, if it were asked for permission to dispatch the Leopards.
The Challenger 2 is the British Army's main tank (Image: Getty)
Ukraine has asked Germany to supply it with Leopard tanks (Image: Getty)Glen Grant, a defence analyst at the Baltic Security Foundation and a former British army officer, told Express.co.uk that both tanks were vital to ensure a Ukrainian victory.
He said the Challenger would be best deployed to punch gaps in Russian defensive lines, allowing the Leopards to then race forward and drive home the attack.
Mr Grant said: "I would compare a fully armoured Challenger to a specialist bulldozer for heavy fighting work on a breakthrough, whilst the Leopard is more a common use tractor and easier to use and flexible.
"So for opening a gap use the Challengers en-masse then drive through and exploit with the Leopards.
"If you hit a nasty defensive spot bring the challengers back to break it open by force."
The Challenger 2 is the British Army's main tank and was first pressed into service in 1994.
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