The first group of Ukrainian soldiers has arrived in Germany to be trained on the Marder infantry fighting vehicles, as the world holds its breath in anticipation of the intensified and accelerated NATO armament support for Kyiv. While a Russian researcher asserts that Moscow does not intend to engage in a comprehensive war with NATO countries, a Ukrainian researcher suggests that a decisive battle in favor of Ukraine is imminent, hoping for "final victory," supported by NATO, according to their discussions with "Sky News Arabia."
Regarding the significance of Berlin and Washington's response to Kyiv's demands, and their support with tanks of their manufacture for the first time, the American magazine "Foreign Policy" previously stated that Abrams tanks, Bradley armored vehicles, and Marder are the deadly trio in modern warfare. Kyiv is gearing up for a counteroffensive against Russian forces with this support; will it succeed?
#### Global War Obstacles
Alexander Hofmann, a Russian consultant in communications and strategic policies, dismisses the possibility of direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO or a drastic escalation involving the use of strategic weapons. He believes that the West cannot deliver a fatal blow to Russia, as there are deterrents, just as Russia does not seek to do so against Ukraine to avoid a widespread war, similar to those seen in the 20th century and in Iraq. This is supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent speech, which emphasized that the military operation aims to protect Russia and its population from threats from neighboring territories, not to wage a comprehensive war.
Hofmann lists several obstacles that make Kyiv's impending counteroffensive to reclaim territories difficult and suggests that undertaking it might be seen as a last resort for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including:
1. **Timing and Training**: The weapons provided by NATO require training for Ukrainian forces and other measures to adapt to non-standard weapon systems. The timeline for the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine is estimated in months by officials.
2. **Avoiding Direct Involvement**: For the counteroffensive to bear fruit, foreign specialists must be widely integrated into Ukrainian military units, familiar with the supplied weapon systems and their operation, even in real combat conditions, which could lead to further escalation of the conflict.
3. **Russian Positioning**: It is essential to consider the relative weakness of Ukrainian supply centers compared to Russian ones, and Kyiv’s lack of capacity to systematically disrupt Russian supply lines, as seen in the tactical successes of Russian forces along the front lines.
#### Ukraine and "Final Victory"
In contrast, Oumken Borvat, an expert in international politics at Tavriisky University in Ukraine, suggests that as the war enters its second year, real battles will begin to "liberate" territories recently annexed by Moscow, based on:
- Kyiv's desperate attempts to secure quality equipment and weapons from NATO as quickly as possible before the end of winter.
- The recent agreement between Germany and the U.S. to send heavy tanks to Ukraine, indicating that the West has overcome divisions regarding support for Kyiv, which is already concerning Moscow, prompting stern warnings from Berlin.
After the U.S. announced its shipment of tanks to Kyiv, Moscow confirmed that the world now faces the threat of a third world war, with Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev urging the leaders of the U.S. and Germany to halt the ticking of the nuclear clock. For his part, Zelenskyy welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to provide Kyiv with Abrams tanks, viewing their acquisition as a significant step towards achieving "final victory."
