Batch of Abrams tanks for Ukraine “first swallow” - expert

That’s according to a Ukraine-based military expert Oleksiy Hetman, who spoke with Ukrainian Radio, Ukrinform reports.

"This does not solve all problems, but it is already the first swallow. We will quickly master them and use them in a narrow, specific area," he noted.

At the same time, the expert assessed the prospect of Germany handing over their long-range Taurus missiles. If Berlin dares to make such a delivery, Ukraine will receive both these missiles and the American ATACMS, Hetman noted.

He added that the Taurus missile hit targets at a longer range than the SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles already in service with Ukraine’s Armed Forces. "We need several dozen such missiles, at least 50. Not all missiles hit their targets as the share of interceptions by Russia must be taken into account. Let’s see how Taurus will get through Russia’s air defenses. It is difficult for them to down Taurus, SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles," the expert said.

As reported earlier, at the end of May 2023, Ukraine asked the German government to provide Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers. The corresponding appeal was made against the background of the decision made by the UK and France to send Ukraine Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles. On July 26, Markus Faber, an MP with Germany’s Free Democratic Party, which is part of the governing coalition, also called for the government to send Ukraine the Taurus missiles. Later, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that, as before, he was not ready to supply cruise missiles to Ukraine. On August 7, Andreas Schwartz, member of the Bundestag from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, called for the Taurus to be provided to Ukraine.