British Challenger 2 tanks reach Ukraine

Ukraine’s defense minister Oleksii Reznikov released footage of what he said were British Challenger 2 main battle tanks on Tuesday that had “recently arrived” in Ukraine.

Reznikov posted a video on his Twitter account of himself climbing into one of the vehicles and thanking British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and the United Kingdom for the tanks.

It was a pleasure to take the first Ukrainian Challenger 2 MBT for a spin.
Such tanks, supplied by the United Kingdom, have recently arrived in our country.
These fantastic machines will soon begin their combat missions.
Thank you, @RishiSunak, @BWallaceMP, and the 🇬🇧 people. pic.twitter.com/zoCRmKdBnN

— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) March 28, 2023

“It is a very good example. Thank you very much from Ukraine to the United Kingdom”, he said in the video.

He wrote in his tweet he took one of the tanks “for a spin” and that the vehicles would “soon begin their combat missions”.

Britain pledged in January to send 14 of the tanks ahead of an expected Kyiv counteroffensive to further repel a Russian full-sale invasion, now in its fourteenth month.

Every champion was once a challenger.
We are Challenger 2.
🇺🇦🤝🇬🇧

🎥 @DefenceHQ pic.twitter.com/q90M6Tx94a

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 27, 2023

Ukraine’s ground forces commander pledged last week a counteroffensive would begin soon.

Germany’s defense ministry said on Monday that 18 Leopard 2 battle tanks and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles had arrived in Ukraine.