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| Poland Plans to Send 500 Soviet-Era Tanks and Armored Vehicles to Ukraine |
Warsaw - Poland probably deserves the title of the largest country that operates battle tanks. Reportedly, the European country has 750 to 1000 tanks compared to other NATO countries. That number is more than double that of the UK, Germany and France. Maybe that number can be equated with the United States Army.
Therefore, Poland deserves to be called a country that is skilled at controlling a tank. As it turns out, there's a reason Poland relies so heavily on armored vehicles. This is because the country's territory is mostly flat land with very few obstacles, the National Interest reports. That is, there are not many highlands or steep in Poland.
Such land conditions are indeed enemies for the ground combat fleet. And that condition, unfortunately, once harmed Poland in World War II. Where at that time there had been a massive tank invasion there.
At the start of World War II in September 1939, Poland was invaded from the west and east by Nazi German and Soviet tanks. In fact, it was the fourth or fifth time that this had happened. Many times in the three centuries before that time, both Russia and Germany together wanted to erase Poland from the world.
This traumatic experience has left Poland among the NATO countries most concerned by Russia's recent aggressive actions in Ukraine. However, two-thirds of the Polish tanks were of the Soviet heritage type, namely 500 T-72M1 tanks. Then there is the domestically made PT-91 Twardy variant with a significantly improved fire control system, domestic ERAWA explosive reactive armor (ERA) and missile warning add-on. Hundreds of older T-72 tanks are also still in storage.
The Polish T-72 may theoretically be similar to the T-72 that dominates the Russian Army. With PT-91 reactive armor, it can withstand older RPGs and anti-tank missiles.
However, both types are inferior to the Russian T-90A, the upgraded T-72B3 tank, and the modern Kornet anti-tank missile. Having had a dark time with Russia, and also as a member of NATO, Poland intends to help Ukraine with its tanks. They would send all their Soviet tanks there.
All these donations not only filled the void of the Ukrainian fighting fleet which had been destroyed during the war. But it will also add to their inventory significantly. And a half-hearted tank, the 500 tanks are variants of the famous T-72. With all these donations, Poland will become the largest arms supplier to Ukraine.
Although reportedly, the transfer of this fighter fleet will not happen in the next few months. It is said, this effort may be carried out in the early months of next year. And it is believed, the delivery of tanks and armored vehicles will pose a serious threat to Russia. Obviously, the T-72 tank is the system Russia is using in Ukraine today.
Quoted from Defense View, negotiations between Poland and Ukraine regarding this arms transfer are ongoing. Before the package arrives, the Polish side will provide training to Ukrainian soldiers. The training is related to the operation of these vehicles.