Russia-Ukraine War: US Could Now Give Tanks to Ukrainian Troops as Air Defense Remains Strong

Although the source would not indicate if such weapons will be on the table in the future, the US is not currently considering giving Ukraine weapons with longer ranges than the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) that is employed with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

A senior US military source claimed on Monday that Russian forces have continued to carry out airstrikes in recent days during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that is affecting civilian infrastructure. The official said, "This worrisome pattern, which includes strikes on power plants last week, continues to reveal Russian forces' contempt for civilian life."

Pentagon: NATO-Style Tanks for Ukraine Are "on the Table"

Since the start of the conflict, Ukraine's air defenses have downed around 55 Russian fighter jets, according to the US Air Force commander in Europe, who also noted that Russia has never been able to establish air superiority over Ukraine. Gen. James Hecker stated at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Washington, DC that Russia was well aware of Ukraine's air defenses, but its initial strikes in late February failed to eliminate these defenses, such as surface-to-air missiles.

As a result, six months into the conflict, Russian planes are now mostly firing long-range missiles rather than flying deeply into Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defence reported on Monday that Russia had lost 55 combat jets overall since the war began, including four that were almost certainly lost in the previous ten days.

In his nighttime address on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that troops had found equipment used by Russian forces in retaken areas of the northeastern Kharkiv region, including alleged torture cells. In a statement on social media, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office said that during the town of Kozacha Lopan's siege, the Russian army tortured individuals in the cellar of the so-called people's militia.

The Russian government and foreign ministry have been contacted by CNN for comment, but they have not yet responded. According to Pentagon officials, it might be necessary to assist Kyiv in replacing its Soviet-era main battle tanks with more competent and modern ones as it pursues offensive operations against Russian invaders.

A senior Defense Department official stated on Monday that the possibility of providing Ukrainian military with Western-style tanks is unquestionably on the table, Washington Times reported.

Calls Increase for Western Weapons Aide For Ukraine

Added to the roughly $15 billion in military help the US has provided since the war started are weapons from American stocks. With Ukraine's recent victories on the battlefield, calls have also increased for western countries to contribute heavy weapons like tanks that they have so far declined to send.

As Soviet-era weapons, including tanks, are becoming scarce, a US defense source told reporters on Monday that there is a growing emphasis on Ukraine's longer-term need for western weapons. Ukraine will need to have the capacity to maintain and sustain western tanks in the future.

According to Pentagon sources, supplying Ukraine with modernized Western tanks would necessitate "extensive" training and maintenance periods before they were prepared to combat the Russians. The Biden administration is enticing other nations that are still using Soviet-era tanks to donate them to Ukraine so that it can supplement its current stock, according to Yahoo News.