Ukrainian Heroes Rebuild Like Tanks: Captured Russian Machines Used Against Putin’s Thugs
HERO Ukrainian mechanics are repairing captured Russian tanks to deploy them against Moscow.
GossipA-Z was granted access to a secret workshop where teams had repaired a T-72 in preparation for spring offensives.
Their commander, Ihor, quipped, “The entire world is on Ukraine’s side. Even the Russians contribute so much to our military.”
Britain led global tank donations with a squadron of 14 Challenger 2s, but captured Russian hardware is by far the largest source of tanks for Ukraine.
Since Putin’s botched invasion began on February 24 of last year, Russia has lost 2,000 of its roughly 3,000-strong force.
Ukrainian Heroes Rebuild Like Tanks: Captured Russian Machines Used Against Putin’s Thugs. At least 548 have been captured, and hundreds more have been “donated” as replacement parts.
They range from T-62s from the Cold War era of the 1960s to the most recent Russian T-90M models.
Farmers towed captured tanks off the battlefield days after Putin’s invasion, inspiring internet memes that boosted morale.
ALSO READ: Greece Train Collision Kills 32 and Injures Dozens
In some instances, terrified soldiers abandoned their multimillion-pound vehicles, while others were killed and the vehicles were seized.
The T-72 B3 was captured in rural Kharkiv province last year as Russian troops fled a lightning counteroffensive in a state of chaos.
Ten years ago, the upgraded model entered service.
The soldiers repairing the tank requested anonymity so as not to reveal where it was captured or where it was repaired.
Their mechanics dragged it into a warehouse to conceal it from Russian surveillance drones.
Ihor stated, “It is now ready for use.”
However, he added, “We still require Western tanks.
“The newest Western tanks are vastly superior to the Russian equipment. Russia has so many soldiers, tanks, and heavy weapons that we require superior weapons to defeat them.”
In addition, Ukraine has lost hundreds of tanks over the past year.
In response, allies donated 505 T-72s and variants last year.
It included a massive gift of over 300 from Poland, as Warsaw upgrades its military with South Korean K2 Black Panthers.
A Western official stated to GossipA-Z, “This is a battle between David and Goliath. David has demonstrated his ability to win, but he had a slingshot.
ALSO READ: Zelenskyy Pledges Victory Push on Ukraine War Anniversary
“The West must provide Ukraine with numerous slingshots so they can continue to fight intelligently and overcome Russia’s numerical advantage.”
Ukraine’s President Zelensky made urgent appeals for Western tanks.
The United Kingdom led the way by pledging 14 Challenger 2s, one of the best-protected tanks.
Allies have since promised over 175 Leopards manufactured in Germany.
The United States has also promised to send 31 Abrams M1 tanks, but their arrival is expected to take one year.
In the early stages of the war, hundreds of Russian tanks were destroyed by US-made Javelin and British-made NLAW missiles.
However, according to front-line troops in Donbas, Russian commanders are now withholding tanks from battles.
The commander of an anti-tank unit, Dima, informed us, “The Russians are hiding behind hills and firing at us with artillery.”
Putin’s Wagner Group mercenaries are launching waves of cannon fodder infantry charges in the town of Bakhmut, where President Zelensky reported that every square inch was soaked in blood.
Serhii, a soldier who served in the city, told The Sun, “Normally, if you hit a group of Russians, they would react by bringing back their wounded, but in Bakhmut, they just keep coming.”
ALSO READ: India Abstains from UN Vote on Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Ben Wallace, the secretary of defense, stated that Putin’s commanders had resorted to World War I tactics, with foot soldiers climbing over their dead comrades in futile attempts to storm trenches.
According to the West, Russia suffers over one thousand casualties per day, while Ukraine suffers hundreds.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner Group mercenaries, admitted last week that his men were being slaughtered.
He attributed the lack of heavy artillery shells to a dispute with Moscow’s defense chiefs.
Both sides have exhausted years’ worth of ammunition.
During the height of the artillery battles, Russia fired over 30,000 shells per day from its vast arsenal of tanks and howitzers.
Ukraine retaliated with approximately 12,000.
Now, both sides have drastically retreated out of concern that they may run out of resources without international assistance.
The US stated that Russia was attempting to purchase ammunition from North Korea and possibly China.
The United Kingdom has had to purchase shells for Ukraine from Africa and South Asia, while allies such as the United States have increased production.
President Zelensky issued fresh requests for “modern combat aircraft”
ALSO READ: UN Chief Condemns Ukraine Invasion Ahead of Anniversary
When the aviation taboo is lifted in our relations with our partners, we will be able to fully protect the sky, he said.
Ukraine’s defense has relied heavily on Western arms.
Anti-tank weapons from the United States and the United Kingdom helped halt the Russian advance on Kyiv.
Long-range artillery, such as U.S.-made HIMARS and British-made GMLRS systems, enabled Ukraine to attack Russian supply depots, resulting in the fall of Kharkiv and the evacuation of Kherson in November.
Protecting major cities and the nation’s energy infrastructure requires Western air defense systems.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to train Ukrainian fighter pilots and urged allies to provide F-16 jets.
However, US President Biden has declined.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin cautioned Ukraine’s allies to prepare for the “long haul.”
Both sides will likely launch major spring offensives in the next phase of the conflict.
Russia has stepped up its attacks along the eastern front of Donbas, but US officials have stated that they do not believe Russia will make “significant progress.”
Ukraine’s armed forces have signaled their intention to advance south to the Sea of Azov and sever the occupied territory connecting Russia to Crimea.
It follows a series of unexplained explosions in Mariupol, a port city in southern Ukraine that was captured by Russia in May after a month-long siege last year.
ALSO READ: Ukraine War Anniversary: Putin’s Rallying Cry and Chants of ‘Russia, Russia’
General Valeriy Zaluzhny, chief of the Ukrainian Army, vowed that troops would recapture it this year.
Officials stated that the city was no longer out of reach, but refused to disclose how they struck it.
At the rural tank yard outside of a major city, the soldiers echoed their president’s assurance that victory was imminent.
Viktor, a mechanic, stated, “It will be difficult, but we will win.”
His commander Ihor added, “We will need all the assistance and weapons we can get.
“However, we are the combatants because we are fighting for our homelands. If not, you will be next.”
