What are Leopard 2 and M1 Abrams battle tanks and what armoured vehicles are NATO countries sending to Ukraine?
After weeks of indecision, Germany has announced it will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries to do the same.
Ukraine has pleaded for months for Western nations to send modern tanks to give its forces the firepower they need to retake territory occupied by Russia.
Kyiv is widely expected to mount another counteroffensive in the spring after hugely successful drives last year that seized big chunks of territory around Kharkiv in the east and liberated Kherson in the south.
Russia sends warning to US over tanks – Ukraine war latest
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, says his forces need more and heavier weapons – in particular Western tanks – to push the Russians back.
After the UK led the way in promising 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks, Germany has now agreed to send 14 of its own Leopard 2 tanks as well as authorise other countries to do the same as it owns the export licence.
The US is understood to be preparing to announce that it will supply Kyiv with a number of its M1 Abrams tanks – perhaps as part of an agreement with Berlin.
So what are the Leopard 2, M1 Abrams and Challenger 2 tanks, and which other Western armoured vehicles are being sent to Ukraine?
Leopard 2 – Germany’s main battle tank used by various NATO countries
Ukraine has long urged the West to send tanks to help its forces fight Russia, and at the top of the list has been the Leopard 2.
Considered a main battle tank in the same way as the Challenger 2 and first introduced in 1979, it offers good protection against armour-piercing rounds and anti-tank guided weapons.
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It has been reported that the Leopard 2 was estimated to be able to penetrate frontal armour of the Soviet-made T-72 tank from 2,000 metres away and that of the T-62 from more than 4,000 metres – both of which are in use by the Russian military in Ukraine.
M1 Abrams: Highly manoeuvrable but poor fuel efficiency
After weeks of discussion, the Biden administration is preparing to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, according to three senior US officials.
It has a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine – notoriously low on fuel efficiency – and a 120mm main gun.
The tank can make a difference on the battlefield through “lethal firepower, unparalleled survivability, and audacious manoeuvre”, the US army says.
Any agreement to supply Ukraine with Abrams tanks is likely to be perceived as an effort to persuade Germany to authorise donation of the Leopard 2, which uses less fuel and is widely available in Europe.
The M1 Abrams tank could be headed for Ukraine. Pic: AP
Challenger 2: British tank buster that has ‘never’ been destroyed
The British Challenger 2 is a main battle tank that has been used on operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq.
First introduced into service with the British Army in 1994, a number of Challenger 2s are deployed in Estonia as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States.
It features a main 120mm rifled gun and has a crew of four – commander, gunner, loader/operator and a driver.
The British Army says it has “never experienced a loss at the hands of the enemy”.
British soldiers patrol in two Challenger 2 tanks in the desert near Basra, Iraq in 2006. Pic: AP
Bradley fighting vehicle: Armoured infantry transport from the US
Earlier this month, the White House announced that it will be delivering dozens of its Bradley fighting vehicles to Ukraine as well as hundreds of the anti-tank missiles they can fire.
While not a tank, strictly speaking, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said they provide “a level of firepower and armour that will bring advantages on the battlefield”.
Bradleys are armoured vehicles that can transport infantry in combat zones and are often equipped with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun as their main weapon along with an anti-tank missile system.
Mr Zelenskyy hailed the move: “For the first time, we will get Bradley armoured vehicles – this is exactly what is needed.
“New guns and rounds, including high-precision ones, new rockets, new drones. It is timely and strong.”
American soldiers drive a Bradley fighting vehicle in Syria in 2021. Pic: AP
Marder infantry fighting vehicles from Germany
Before the decision on the Leopards, Germany had said it wanted to deliver around 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine before the end of March.
Resembling a light tank in some ways, the Marder can carry five or six troops and is one of the largest and heaviest of its type.
Germany has large numbers of Marders in storage and vice chancellor Robert Habeck said Berlin could ultimately send its entire functioning fleet of the weapons.
Soldiers follow a Marder infantry fighting vehicle during a demonstration event in 2011. Pic: AP
AMX-10 RC: France’s ‘light tank’ designed for recon missions
The French defence ministry said it will hold talks with its Ukrainian counterpart to arrange for the delivery of armoured combat vehicles.
Designated as “light tanks” in French, the AMX-10 RC carries a 105mm cannon and two machine guns.
It’s primarily designed for reconnaissance missions and has enough armour to protect against light infantry weapons, according to the French defence ministry.
It has wheels rather than tracks, allowing it to be more mobile than heavy tanks.
French-made AMX-10 RC light tanks have wheels rather than tracks. Pic: AP/French Army
World
Iran not complying with nuclear obligations for first time in almost 20 years, says UN watchdog
The UN nuclear watchdog’s board of governors has found that Iran is not complying with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years.
It comes as sources have told US media that Israel is considering taking military action against Iran in the coming days – without American support.
Iran said it has “always adhered” to the safeguard obligations laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Tehran said it “has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,” and said it would launch a new enrichment site “in a secure location”.
“Other measures are also being planned and will be announced subsequently,” Iran said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The reports come as US President Donald Trump is said to be in advanced discussions with Iran about a diplomatic deal to curtail the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear programme.
However Mr Trump told the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he was “getting more and more less confident about” an agreement.
Iran will not abandon what it views as its right to enrich uranium – contrary to US demands, a senior Iranian official said on Thursday.
Last week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that abandoning such enrichment was “100%” against the country’s interests.
Israel is said to have become more serious about a unilateral strike on Iran, particularly with reports that a deal between the US and Iran could include provisions about uranium enrichment. Israel views those provisions as unacceptable.
Such a strike would be a dramatic break with the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
With tensions in the region simmering as the nuclear discussions unfold and with the potential for unrest, the US State Department ordered the evacuation of all non-essential personnel from its embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
America has also authorised – rather than ordered – the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait
Israel is considering taking military action against Iran in the coming days – without American support, sources have told US media.
The reports come as US President Donald Trump is said to be in advanced discussions with Iran about a diplomatic deal to curtail the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear programme.
Israel is said to have become more serious about a unilateral strike on Iran as the negotiations between Washington and Tehran appear closer to a preliminary or framework agreement that includes provisions about uranium enrichment.
Israel views those provisions as unacceptable.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is therefore considering a strike on Iran, a Capitol Hill aide and other sources familiar with the matter have told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News.
An Israeli strike on Iran would be a dramatic break with the Trump administration which has argued against such a move.
The prospect of a new front in the conflict in the Middle East has prompted the Trump administration to order all embassies within striking distance of Iranian missiles, aircraft and other assets, to send cables with assessments about the potential threat to Americans and US infrastructure, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The White House has not yet briefed senior politicians on the situation, according to a US official.
The reports have emerged after the US State Department said it had ordered the evacuation of all non-essential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, due to the potential for regional unrest.
It did not mention any possible attack by Israel on Iran when it announced the move.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: “The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review.”
It comes as the US is also authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait – giving the staff a choice as to whether to leave those countries.
Iraqi soldiers outside the US embassy in Baghdad in 2020. Pic: AP
An Iraqi government source told the country’s state news agency that Baghdad has not recorded any security indication that calls for the evacuation.
There was already limited staffing in the US embassy in Baghdad and the order will not affect a large number of personnel.
Meanwhile, the military dependents in Bahrain and Kuwait will have the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance.
Asked why the US personnel are being moved out of the Middle East, Mr Trump said on Wednesday evening: “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place and we’ll see what happens.”
When asked if there is anything that can be done to reduce tensions in the region, the US president said: “They can’t have a nuclear weapon, very simple, they can’t have a nuclear weapon, we’re not going to allow that.”
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the Oman capital Muscat on Sunday to discuss the Iranian response to a recent US proposal, according to American news site Axios, which cited a US official.
The US and Iran have been engaged in talks aimed at limiting Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions America has imposed on the country.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.
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Controversial aid distributer accuses Hamas of deadly attack
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Tehran and Washington tensions
Mr Trump, who has previously said Israel or America could carry out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, has given a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran.
He told the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he was “getting more and more less confident about” a deal.
“They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame. I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them,” he said in the interview released on Wednesday.
Iran’s mission to the UN posted on the X social media platform that “threats of ‘overwhelming force’ won’t change facts”.
“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability,” the Iranian mission wrote on Wednesday.
World
Controversial aid distributer claims Hamas has carried out deadly attack on bus carrying Palestinians
The controversial US and Israeli-backed aid distributor in Gaza has accused Hamas of a deadly attack on a bus carrying Palestinians working with the organisation.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has said at least five aid workers were killed and it fears some team members “may have been taken hostage”.
The aid organisation also said multiple people were injured in the alleged attack.
In a statement, the GHF has said the bus was carrying more than two dozen people working with the organisation when it was targeted at 10pm Gaza time (8pm UK time) on Wednesday.
The GHF said those in the bus were “local Palestinians” working with the organisation to “deliver critical aid”.
“At the time of the attack, our team was en route to one of our distribution centres in the area west of Khan Younis”, the GHF added.
It continued in its statement: “We are still gathering facts, but what we know is devastating: there are at least five fatalities, multiple injuries, and fear that some of our team members may have been taken hostage.
“We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms. These were aid workers.”
The GHF also said in its statement that Hamas has in recent days been threatening members of the organisation, including aid workers, and civilians who have been receiving the aid.
The organisation said it holds Hamas fully responsible for “taking the lives of our dedicated workers who have been distributing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people at the foundation’s sites in central and southern Gaza”.
“Tonight, the world must see this for what it is: an attack on humanity. We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people,” the GHF said.
“We will release additional information once it becomes available. Despite this heinous attack, we will continue our mission to provide critical aid to the people of Gaza.”
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From 10 June: The deadly road to Gaza aid point
The alleged attack came hours after health officials in Gaza said at least 25 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire at a GHF site close to the former settlement of Netzarim, near Gaza City.
Medical officials at Shifa and al Quds hospitals say the people were killed as they approached the site.
Gaza’s health ministry said earlier this week that around 160 people have been killed in shootings near aid sites run by the GHF since they began distributing aid on 26 May.
However, the GHF has said there has been no violence in or around the distribution centres themselves.
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From 3 June: Shots fired as aid distributed in Gaza
Why is the aid system controversial?
Israel and the US have said the GHF system is aimed at preventing Hamas from siphoning off assistance.
Israel has not provided any evidence of systematic diversion, and the UN denies it has occurred.
The foundation’s distribution of aid has been marred by chaos, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the delivery sites.
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UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the territory.
Jake Wood, a former US marine, resigned as head of the GHF in May before it began distributing aid in Gaza over concerns about is independence.
Mr Wood said the foundation cannot adhere to the “humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon”.
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