The list of weapons Ukraine wants includes more long-range artillery to target Russian positions bombing its cities during six weeks of fierce fighting. However, the heavy artillery of most NATO countries has a caliber of 155 mm, while Ukraine, as part of its Soviet heritage, uses 152 mm. “The Ukrainians are running out of 152 mm ammunition. Where will they find it? ” asked Chris Donnelly, an adviser to four former NATO secretaries-general on the Soviet and Russian armies. “No one in the West uses it or makes it stand out from the Serbs – and it’s on Russia’s side.” Such dilemmas are at the heart of the types of military support Kyiv has called for in a war that has lasted longer than many initially expected. Vladimir Putin’s forces, after failing to occupy Kyiv, are regrouping for a new eastern offensive centered on the Donbas region, a phase that Western officials say is expected to last at least a week. This timetable will provide an “extremely important” window for military support to Ukraine so that it can “continue to inflict heavy losses on Russian invading forces,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this week. But what kind of weapons, how fast can they be delivered and from which countries? Dmitry Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, summed it up on Thursday when asked if NATO allies had complied with his request for “weapons, weapons and ammunition.” “Let me put it this way: I have no doubt that Ukraine will have the necessary weapons to fight,” he said. “The debate is not about the list of weapons, but about the timetable.” Ukraine’s military successes so far have been due to guerrilla tactics and the clever use of portable equipment, including huge amounts of unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-tank missiles provided by the West. A Ukrainian soldier holds a next-generation light anti-tank weapon north of Kiev last month. Ukraine’s clever use of small arms has given it a strong advantage © Gleb Garanich / Reuters The United States has provided $ 1.7 billion in military aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, including the latest 100 Kamikaze Switchblade drones. The EU has approved € 900 million in lethal aid and another € 100 million in non-lethal supplies, while the United Kingdom has sent 10,000 Nlaws and Javelin anti-tank missiles, as well as Starstreak air defense systems. But in anticipation of the Battle of Donbas, which was fortified by Russia after eight years of occupation, Ukraine has stepped up its demands for tanks, fighter jets and long-range anti-aircraft missile systems. “We recognize. . . “More advanced weapons will be required,” said a NATO official. “We are ready to move on.” Even so, Western allies need to find a balance between supplying obsolete kits from countries of the former Warsaw Pact that can be used quickly but are in short supply, such as 152mm artillery missiles or the supply of more modern weapons of Western origin that can be require extensive training when time is short. “There are some things you may want to provide in the next 30-60 days because they can be used immediately,” said Admiral Tony Radakin, a senior UK military officer. or more advanced equipment ‘that needs to have large enough training programs. . . and then quite complex support settings are needed. “ Video: The battle of the radio waves of Ukraine Another issue is how to provide military support without escalating the conflict. It is one thing to transport boxes of Javelin missiles through Ukraine and another to send convoys of armored vehicles with high visibility. “Donbas will be a great revelation of Western intentions,” said Mathieu Boulègue, a senior fellow at Chatham House in London. “As the West expands the types of weapons it supplies, it will test Russia’s tolerance thresholds.” A Ukrainian military armored vehicle in Severodonetsk, Donbas region, on Thursday © Fadel Senna / AFP / Getty Images So far, the Czech Republic is the only country known to have supplied Soviet-designed T-72 tanks. He also offered to repair damaged weapons used by Ukrainians or captured by Russian forces. Julian Smith, the US representative to NATO, said this week that the Czech move was “a sovereign decision by a sovereign state”. However, indicating that more could follow, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Trass said on Thursday that “there was support for countries to supply new and heavier equipment to Ukraine”. Ukraine also needs to strengthen its air defenses. Its most powerful weapon is the Soviet-designed S-300 long-range air-to-air system, which can target aircraft and cruise missiles. US officials have asked Slovakia to supply Ukraine with stockpile of S-300 launchers. But even if an agreement is reached, Slovakia has only a limited number of missiles that can be fired, said Roger McDermott, a defense expert at the Jamestown Foundation think-tank. Eventually, Ukrainian forces will deplete NATO members’ supplies of Soviet-era weapons and will have to turn to systems of Western origin. Tras said on Thursday that NATO countries had agreed to do so “on a bilateral basis”. This in itself will bring supply challenges. Most EU troops have not planned high-intensity clashes, but prolonged, low-intensity counter-insurgencies, such as in Afghanistan. “As a result, they have a shallow depth of field,” said Henry Boyd, a military analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Affairs in London. “At some point they [Nato countries] it will need to supply off-line rather than from military supplies. “ At the moment, speed is essential so that the Ukrainians can prevent the Russian army from rebuilding momentum and morale. “When will we get them?” Kuleba requested military supplies. “This is crucial.” Additional Report by Felicia Schwartz in Washington
