EXPLAINED: Heavy Tanks Have Finally Arrived in Ukraine – Here’s What You Need to Know

Kyiv’s expected spring offensive received a huge boost on Monday evening with the announcement that German and British heavy  tanks had finally arrived in Ukraine.   The tanks – long an item on Ukraine’s military equipment wish list – were promised to Kyiv earlier this year and will provide a key infusion of armored firepower that will aid the battle against entrenched Russian troops.  How many of the tanks are now in Ukraine?   German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told journalists on Monday that Berlin had provided “very modern” Leopard battle tanks to Kyiv, with the defense ministry later saying 18 were delivered.   “Our tanks have made it into the hands of our Ukrainian friends as promised and on time,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement.   Shortly after this announcement, the Ukrainian defense ministry revealed they weren’t the only heavy tanks that had been delivered.   Referring to British Challenger 2 tanks, spokeswoman Iryna Zolotar told AFP: “They are in Ukraine already.”   She did not provide any other details, but the U.K. announced in January that it would send 14 of the tanks to the front line.