The other is to obtain one (or, more likely, a mix) of the top, large-fleet NATO MBTs-the German Leopard 2 and the American M1A1 Abrams. One is to obtain and modernize the diminishing stock of Soviet-era tanks scattered across Eastern Europe and scour for whatever 125 mm smoothbore ammunition remains-or they could be procured from a handful of non-Russian facilities vulnerable to Russian covert action. With its defense industry seriously damaged by months of Russian missile strikes, Ukraine has two primary paths to acquire the additional MBTs it needs. To continue making gains on its eastern steppe and approaches to Crimea or stall a major Russian counterattack, the Ukrainian military will need a substantial number of new tanks-and soon. As former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a recent Washington Post op-ed, NATO hesitance toward supplying more equipment will allow Russia to harden its grip on stolen territories and regroup for new offensives. Ukraine’s path to reclaiming its territorial sovereignty lies in leveraging machines rather than sacrificing men. They can work despite enemy shellfire to destroy armored vehicles and concrete obstacles, all barriers to the Ukrainians as they battle this year against dug-in Russian forces along the roads to Crimea and the Donbas. MBTs’ thick armor, speed, 120 mm main gun, and thousands of machine gun rounds make them invaluable assault assets. Adding MBTs alongside modern infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs)-such as the 109 Bradleys being transferred by the United States and the 40 Marders promised by Germany-and mobile artillery yields a lethal trinity of modern mechanized warfare. Main battle tanks (MBTs) are a critical missing piece for the Ukrainians as they battle Russia’s invasion.
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