A series of Western countries are supplying a variety of weapons to Ukraine, from anti-tank missiles and armor to howitzers and armed helicopters.
Russia launched a special military operation on February 24 to “demilitarize and de-fascist Ukraine”. After 100 days of fighting, fighting between the two sides is taking place fiercely in the region Donbass in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces changed tactics, making full use of artillery fire to crush the resistance of less equipped enemy forces.
Many Western countries have sent aid weapons to Ukraine, but Kiev still thinks that is not enough and asks to send more heavy weapons, especially long-range rocket artillery. In the face of the battlefield developments in eastern Ukraine, the transfer of Western weapons is taking place busier than ever.
M777 howitzer, manufactured by the US, at firing position in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, in May. Photo: NY Times.
America
The US has sent a total of $4.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the war broke out. According to the Pentagon, the country has delivered 85 howitzers M777 out of 108 committed guns, with more than 190,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells, 9 Mi-17 helicopters and 70% of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) “The spectre” that Washington committed to provide Kiev.
The US also committed to deliver more armored vehicles, 1,400 man-portable air defense missiles Stinger5,000 man-portable anti-tank missiles Javelin along with thousands of rifles, ammo and other equipment.
On May 31, the US agreed to transfer to Ukraine a highly mobile rocket artillery system M142 (HIMARS) has a range of about 70-80 km when using M31 ammunition and 300 km when using tactical missiles. HIMARS is at the heart of the first $700 million weapons package withdrawn from a $40 billion military aid fund to Ukraine approved by the US Congress last month.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov also announced that Ukraine received self-propelled howitzers M109 modified to allow Ukrainian troops to strike targets from longer distances.
Earlier, President Joe Biden confirmed that the US would not send Ukraine “long-range weapon systems that can strike Russian territory” due to fears of increased tensions. The adviser to the President of Ukraine later complained that it was “difficult to win a military victory” over Moscow if Washington did not provide long-range artillery. Meanwhile, Russia threatened to target these weapons shipments when they reached Ukrainian territory.
Older brother
Follow BBCBritain has given Ukraine a total of $1.6 billion in military aid since the war broke out, including 120 armored vehicles, more than 5,000 anti-tank missiles. NLAW5 Starstreak air defense complexes and a series of suicide UAVs.
On June 1, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced that the country would provide multiple rocket launchers M270 (MLRS) can hit targets from 32-80 km away when using rockets and up to 500 km when using rockets, to “significantly increase the capabilities of the Ukrainian army”. The British Foreign Office said Ukrainian soldiers will be trained in how to operate the complex in the UK.
In early May, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to support Ukraine with many electronic warfare equipment, anti-aircraft radar systems, GPS jammers and thousands of night vision goggles. Britain also said it has trained more than 22,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
Virtue
Germany previously pledged to send only defensive weapons to Ukraine, but later reversed this policy, announcing the supply of more powerful weapons to Kiev.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on June 1 that the country would transfer to Kiev an air defense system IRIS-TILLION The most modern that Germany possesses, has a range of 40 km and can lower targets at a maximum height of 20 km.
At the beginning of May, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced that Germany would transfer to Ukraine 7 self-propelled howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000), one of the world’s top powerful howitzers.
Germany will also deliver 15 self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery systems Flakpanzer Gepard first for Ukraine in July, part of the 50 complexes that Germany has committed to supply. However, Switzerland, the country that produces 35 mm ammunition for Flakpanzer Gepard, refused to allow Germany to transfer this ammunition to Ukraine due to policy constraints. permanent neutral.
Germany is also negotiating with Eastern and Southern European countries about sending their Soviet-era assets to Ukraine. In return, they would receive newer models of German weapons.
France
French Defense Minister Florence Parly on April 13 confirmed that the country had transferred $108 million worth of military equipment to Ukraine. A week later, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged more aid, including anti-tank missiles MILAN and self-propelled howitzers CAESAR caliber 155 mm with a range of 4.5-42 km, equipped with a semi-automatic loading system.
The Elysee Palace declined to disclose the amount of weapons delivered to Ukraine, but a hearing in the French Senate this week confirmed that Paris had sent six CAESAR howitzers and a series of Mistral man-portable air defense missiles to Kiev.
Canada
Canada has provided Ukraine with $208 million in military aid since February and commit spend an additional 500 million USD in the budget. The country’s authorities at the end of May said they had sent 20,000 155 mm artillery shells and four M777 howitzers to help Ukraine strengthen its defenses in the Donbass, according to TASS.
Ottawa is also supporting Kiev with drones, rifles, ammunition, high-resolution satellite imagery, and two tactical airlift aircraft.
[Pháo tự hành PzH 2000 của Đức tại căn cứ ở Munster ngày 14/2. Ảnh: Reuters.
Bỉ, Hà Lan, Tây Ban Nha, Hy Lạp
Bỉ đã gửi 5.000 súng trường tự động và vũ khí chống tăng cho Ukraine. Hà Lan cũng cam kết chuyển 5 tổ hợp lựu pháo PzH 2000 cùng 200 tên lửa Stinger.
Các nước Nam Âu như Tây Ban Nha tuyên bố đã gửi 200 tấn đạn và vật tư quân sự tới Ukraine, gồm 30 xe tải, một số phương tiện vận tải hạng nặng, 10 phương tiện nhỏ chở vật liệu quân sự. Hy Lạp đóng góp 400 khẩu súng trường tự động, súng phóng lựu và đạn dược.
Thủ tướng Đức Olaf Scholz ngày 31/5 cũng xác nhận Athens sẽ gửi một số xe tăng từ thời Liên Xô cho Kiev, để đổi lấy các phương tiện hiện đại hơn từ Berlin.
Các nước Bắc Âu
Na Uy đã gửi cho Ukraine 100 tên lửa phòng không Mistral do Pháp sản xuất, cùng 4.000 vũ khí chống tăng M72.
Sau khi chiến sự Ukraine nổ ra, Thụy Điển thông báo gửi 10.000 vũ khí chống tăng AT4 cùng thiết bị rà phá bom mìn tới nước này. Phần Lan cũng đóng góp 1.500 vũ khí chống tăng AT4, 2.500 súng trường cùng 150.000 viên đạn. Helsinki sau đó cho biết họ sẽ gửi thêm vũ khí, song không nêu cụ thể.
Đan Mạch đầu tháng 3 thông báo gửi 2.700 vũ khí chống tăng tới Ukraine. Trong chuyến thăm sau đó tới Kiev, Thủ tướng Đan Mạch Mette Fredriksen công bố thêm gói viện trợ vũ khí trị giá 88 triệu USD cho nước này. Bộ trưởng Quốc phòng Mỹ Austin ngày 23/5 thông báo Copenhagen sẽ chuyển cho Kiev một tổ hợp tên lửa diệt hạm Harpoon, có khả năng tấn công tàu chiến từ khoảng cách 300 km, song không nêu rõ biến thể.
Denmark’s Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher in 2002. Photo: FAK.
Central and Eastern European countries
In Eastern Europe, Poland says it has sent $1.6 billion worth of weapons, including tanks. The media of this country and the US reported that Warsaw has supplied more than 200 tanks to Ukraine. Warsaw also confirmed sending anti-tank missiles, mortars, ammunition and UAVs to Kiev.
Slovakia has so far contributed military supplies worth $165 million. The Ministry of Defense of this country on June 2 announced the sale of 8 self-propelled howitzers Zuzana 2 for Ukraine.
Slovenia also announced that it had sent AK guns and ammunition to Ukraine. It is said to be in discussions with Germany to send a large number of Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine in exchange for Western tanks and armored personnel carriers, but no deal has been announced.
The Czech Republic has provided a military aid package worth 152 million USD to Ukraine, including many T-72 tanks and BMP-1 armor. Authorities are also planning to provide an additional $30 million in military aid and repair damaged Ukrainian tanks and military vehicles.
Baltic States
Estonia donated $245 million, including various types of anti-tank weapons, infantry guns and ammunition to Ukraine. Lithuania also confirmed sending “tens of millions of dollars” of military equipment to Ukraine, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, mortars, rifles, ammunition and other equipment. Lithuanians also mobilized more than 5.3 million USD to buy Turkish TB2 UAVs for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Latvia provided $215 million in military aid, including ammunition, Stinger missiles and UAVs.
Duc Trung (Follow AFP, BBC, TASS, Reuters)
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