Russia warns any Challenger tanks sent to Ukraine from Britain ‘will burn’

Kremlin insists new supplies would not change situation on ground

British tanks sent to support the Ukrainian military effort against Russia “will burn”, Moscow has warned.

Since president Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February last year, Western allies have given Ukraine tens of billions of pounds worth of weaponry - including rocket systems, drones, armoured vehicles, and communications systems.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak confirmed last week that the UK would provide Kyiv with 14 of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks to help its forces “push Russian troops back”.

Downing Street said Mr Sunak also pledged other advanced artillery support in the coming week during a call on Saturday morning with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

A Challenger 2 tank from the British 7th Armoured Brigade (Reuters)

Reacting to Britain’s commitment to intensify its support to Ukraine, Moscow on Monday issued an aggressive response.

“They are using this country as a tool to achieve their anti-Russian goals,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“These tanks are burning and will burn just like the rest.”

Mr Peskov also insisted that the new supplies from countries like the UK and Poland would not change the situation on the ground.

Mr Sunak’s move makes the UK the first Western power to supply the Ukrainians with main battle tanks.

Britain sent 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Poland last year as part of an agreement to support Ukraine by freeing up capacity for Warsaw to supply its Soviet-era T-72 tanks.

Ukrainian soldiers work in their artillery unit in the direction of Marinka (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

German chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure to approve an increase in international military support for Kyiv by allowing the export of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.

Kyiv has requested on countless occasions requested that the German-made tanks be made available to its troops fighting invading forces.

Though Warsaw and Helsinki have indicated a willingness to supply their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, it requires approval from Germany due to Berlin holding the export licence.

Polish president Andrzej Duda and his Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nausėda met with Mr Zelensky in Lviv on Wednesday within the so-called Lublin Triangle of mutual cooperation.

Emergency personnel work at the site where a tower block was heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike in Dnipro (REUTERS)

President Zelensky said that Ukraine needs tanks to win the war and is “awaiting a joint decision” on the subject because “one country cannot provide us with a sufficient number of them.”

It comes after the US promised 50 Bradley tank-killing armoured vehicles in its biggest military assistance package to date for Ukraine.

Germany also announced it would supply around 40 Marder armoured personnel carriers and France promised wheeled AMX-10 RC tank destroyers.