In response to the anticipated decision to provide Ukraine with dozens of modern tanks, Kremlin propagandists have demanded nuclear strikes on the West.
After weeks of bitter disagreements between Germany and NATO allies appeared to be finally coming to an end, Russia denounced the move as a “immediate provocation,” and one enraged Putin mouthpiece called for the destruction of the Bundestag.
Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks will soon be deployed to the battlefield, much to Kiev’s delight, according to US and German officials.
Officials for Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the action as a “punching fist” for democracy, despite earlier Russian warnings that it would result in a “global catastrophe” and escalate the conflict outside of Ukraine’s borders.
More tanks would “leave a lasting mark” and result in “nothing good,” according to a previous Russian warning. Moscow feared that the high-tech weapons could deal a fatal blow to the invading forces.
Yevgeny Satanovsky, a Putin propagandist and the head of the Moscow Institute of the Middle East, said on the Waldman-LINE channel that the heart of German democracy should be attacked with nuclear-tipped missiles.
He declared: “German tanks attacking Russian soldiers will once more march through Ukraine wearing crosses on their armor.
I naturally respond to this by thinking about how the Soviet Union bombed Berlin in 1941.
And to me, this is a sign that the Reichstag, or Bundestag, as it is now known, should no longer be in operation.
Flat, marginally radioactive, melted-down ground will continue to exist there.
Vladimir Solovyov, a favorite propagandist of Putin’s, also complained about the tank move, which he obviously sees as a major setback for Putin and as evidence in Russia that Germany has directly entered the conflict.
It’s time to send a loud and clear message that Germany is now a direct participant in the conflict, bringing back memories of World War Two.
“German tanks showing up will undoubtedly signal that we regard German territory, military installations, and other locations as legitimate targets.”
“NATO wants to fight in this sneaky manner, acting as though it is not fighting.
“In your sleep! in your slumber!
Furthermore, Boris Pistorius, the German defense minister, will be remembered as an idiot for causing Germany to turn into a direct devastation zone.
“And [Chief Olaf] Scholz, [Foreign Minister Annalena] Baerbock, and others.”
“The German people will be able to identify the new Nazi leaders they have supported and installed.” That’s just my personal opinion.
Berlin has chosen to send Leopard 2 tanks to support the Ukrainian war effort, and Washington is expected to announce that it will send M1 Abrams tanks as soon as today.
According to one official, the tanks would be purchased through the upcoming Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, which offers longer-term funding for the acquisition of weapons and equipment from private vendors.
The U.S. announcement is anticipated to coincide with Germany’s announcement that it will grant Poland’s request to transfer Leopard 2 tanks made in Germany to Ukraine.
Germany is required by law to approve the transfer of the tanks to Ukraine, a non-NATO member.
The administration can satisfy Scholz’s demand for an American commitment without having to send the tanks right away by agreeing to send the Abrams at a later date under the assistance initiative.
The head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration in Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, posted on Telegram that “a few hundred tanks for our tank crews” would become “a real punching fist of democracy.”
Putin has started a new, stealthy mobilization for the war in response to the escalation, even though he continues to deny it is happening.
A report from US officials claiming that a new, “quieter,” wave of 200,000 recruits is anticipated was denied by the Kremlin.
However, there is undeniable proof of a dramatic new recruitment drive for conscripts, both to fight and work in military factories producing tanks, missiles, and other equipment for his war effort.
The mobilization was already underway before the anticipated tank deal, but Moscow could very well use the ramp-up as justification.
It is ongoing without any major announcements and will grow, according to a Western source.
Teenage conscripts, who by law should only be sent for military training and not sent to war, may be pressured to quickly enlist in the conflict with promises of higher pay as one tactic.
In addition, new regulations will prohibit men of military age from traveling abroad by car to Georgia and Kazakhstan in order to avoid the draft.
Drivers will need to reserve slots to leave the country, which will make it simpler for their government to veto their travel abroad.
For fear of being forced onto Putin’s frontline, where he has suffered terrible losses, thousands of men continue to live outside of Russia.
While this has been happening, refugees from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan who have been issued Russian passports have suddenly been unable to leave the country.
According to reports, those attempting to do so have been informed that they have been “included on the mobilisation list.”
A sizable new training facility is reportedly being constructed in the Omsk region for the thousands of draftees who must retrain for defense factories.
In order to fill labor shortages in plants crucial to Putin’s war effort, recruits will instead receive crash courses lasting up to six months in place of two years of training, according to Readovka.
In some areas, like Kaluga, employers are requiring men applying for new jobs to present their military registration cards, which are legal requirements, so the military can use them as a resource if necessary.
Zelensky, who will turn 45 on Wednesday, has urged Western allies to send their most advanced battle tanks, claiming in his nightly video address on Tuesday that “the need is greater.”
Heavy armor has not yet been supplied by Germany or the US because they are hesitant to give the Kremlin a reason to escalate the conflict.
Some Russian officials claimed that their allies were causing the world to enter a “global catastrophe” by supplying Ukraine with advanced offensive weapons, which would escalate the conflict.
US battle tank deliveries would be “another blatant provocation,” according to Anatoly Antonov, the US ambassador to Russia, on Wednesday.
In comments posted on the embassy’s Telegram messaging app, Antonov claimed that it was “clear that Washington is deliberately trying to inflict a strategic defeat on us.”
According to Antonov, “American tanks will be destroyed by our troops in the same manner as all other examples of NATO weapons.”
Ukraine has been pleading for Western tanks for months, claiming that doing so would provide its troops the firepower and mobility they need to breach Russian defenses and retake territory.
Discussions among Western allies have recently been dominated by the decision of whether or not to equip Ukraine with a sizable number of tanks.
Germany has played a crucial role since Leopards, which are used by almost 20 armies worldwide, are seen as the ideal choice for Ukraine because they are readily accessible and simple to deploy and maintain.
Although the US Abrams tank is seen as less suited owing to its fuel consumption and upkeep requirements, a US decision to provide them to Ukraine might make it simpler for Germany to permit the transfer of Leopards, since Germany has called for a unified front among Ukraine’s allies.
According to two US officials who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday, Washington was prepared to begin the process of sending dozens of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
According to two people with knowledge of the situation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had agreed to deploy the Leopards and permit other nations, such as Poland, to do the same.
According to Spiegel, Germany intended to provide at least one company of the typical 14-tank Leopard 2 A6 tanks. According to the article, several other allies want to provide Germany with their Leopards.
Separately, in the largest reorganization of its wartime leadership, Ukraine fired more than a dozen key officials.
The modifications were welcomed by the European Union, which last June granted Ukraine candidate member status.
The governors of the Kyiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions—the last three front-line provinces—were among the authorities that resigned or were fired. Earlier in the conflict, big battles were fought in Kyiv and Sumy.
A few of the departing officials were allegedly involved in corruption.
There is pressure on Ukraine to demonstrate that it can be a trustworthy steward of billions of dollars in Western assistance despite its history of corruption and unstable government.
The administration’s turnabout occurs just a few days after a coalition of more than 50 senior defense officials from Europe and beyond gathered in Germany to discuss Ukraine’s military requirements, with battle tanks being a major subject of discussion.