British tanks have been used to force back Vladimir Putin’s troops during Ukraine’s audacious incursion into Russia.
Defence chiefs have hailed the contribution of Challenger 2 tanks, saying they are playing a crucial role in Volodymyr Zelensky’s startling tactic of using troops on Russian soil after years of defensive combat.
It is the first time UK tanks operated by Ukrainian troops have been used in combat on Russian territory, and comes as the incursion into the Kursk region expands as it enters a second week.
Mr Zelensky said on Thursday that his troops have full control of the Russian town of Sudzha. It is the largest town Ukraine has seized so far in the war, with a population of around 5,000, and it is home to a measuring station for Russian natural gas that flows through pipelines to Europe.
Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace hailed the use of British equipment at the “forefront of enabling Ukraine to defend itself from [Mr Putin’s] illegal invasion”.
He was optimistic about the impact the tanks will have, saying: “If the weapons we supply make a difference in protecting their self-defence, Britain should be satisfied that they are being used.”
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who served as defence secretary under John Major, said the move could be critical for Ukraine’s confidence as well as an “enormously invaluable” asset on the battlefield. He said Ukraine is “making it clear that Russia must expect to experience the same sort of suffering and the same sort of damage to their infrastructure as the Ukrainians have been subjected to for two years”.
“If it is a land battle, covering large areas of space, then these tanks are enormously invaluable,” Sir Malcolm said. “If they were not useful, the British army would not be having them.”
Sir Ben said that the use of British weapons on Russian soil was “inevitable” and that Ukraine should be “legitimately allowed to go after [any] infrastructure and enablers that are prosecuting [Mr Putin’s] illegal invasion”.
“It is inevitable that these things were going to be integrated into [Ukraine’s] military units and that they were going to be used. If Russia is using fuel depots or command posts just over the border [in Kursk], they are legitimate targets under international law,” he said.
During his time in government, Sir Ben gave permission for Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia using all weapons supplied to it, with the exception of long-range Storm Shadow missiles. Ukraine has repeatedly called for unrestricted use of Storm Shadows to hit targets deep inside Russia.
Defence secretary John Healey told the BBC that the UK was having “intense discussions” on the subject, but gave no details.
On the issue of using Storm Shadows – which have a potential range of hundreds of miles – inside Russia, Sir Ben said it would be difficult for Britain to authorise without sign-off from other allies. “The use of Storm Shadows is not entirely independent from other nations’ capabilities,” he said. “With missiles, all missiles, you have to use data, GPS, intelligence, targeting etc. That means that sometimes the use of missiles like Storm Shadows is more collaborative than Ukraine being able to unilaterally use them.”
He added: “You might want to say to Ukraine, ‘Yeah, you can use them,’ but if country B says they cannot use their equipment, then you can’t use them,” he added.
The Ministry of Defence did not deny that Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Kursk, but said it would not comment on operational matters. A UK source confirmed that the tanks have been used, but it is still unclear exactly how many and when.
“There has been no change in UK government policy: under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence against Russia’s illegal attacks that does not preclude operations inside Russia,” a spokesperson said. “We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law.”
A Ukrainian military source also told The Independent that they believe Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Kursk, with Ukraine’s 82nd Air Assault Brigade, the unit that has been using the British battle tanks since last year, operating in the Russian region. The source added that they would be being used alongside weapons and vehicles supplied by other Western partners.
“American Bradley and Stryker armoured vehicles are being used in the operation, and I believe also Challengers have been used nearer the border, while the majority are Ukrainian Soviet-era tanks and other armoured vehicles,” the source said.
“We have abided by any restrictions, because we know if we break our word, we may lose our allies’ support,” they added.
Ukraine’s top commander said on Thursday that Kyiv had also established a commandant’s office in the occupied part of Kursk, from where forces were still advancing – seizing up to 1.5km (0.93 miles) in 24 hours.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces had taken over 82 settlements since the start of the incursion, and a total area of 440 square miles (1,150 sq km). The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, has put the area closer to 800 sq km.
Kursk’s acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 28 miles northwest of Sudzha.
Meanwhile, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told reporters that special forces had captured a group of more than 100 Russian soldiers. The 102 servicemen of Russia’s 488th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and its “Akhmat” unit are the largest group of soldiers to be captured in one go since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.
“They captured and cleared a sprawling, concrete and well-fortified company stronghold from all sides – with underground communications and personnel accommodation, a canteen, an armoury and even a bathhouse,” the source said.