Ukraine army skilled with British tanks, insists No 10

Downing Street has expressed confidence that Ukraine will use British tanks effectively after Russia claimed the Challenger 2s "will burn" on the battlefield.

- EMILY ATKINSON,ALASTAIR JAMIESON

No 10 said there is a "plethora of evidence" showing Volodymyr Zelensky's troops have used UK-supplied weapons successfully and ministers fully expected them to continue.

Since Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February last year, Western allies have given Ukraine tens of billions of pounds worth of weaponry - including rocket systems, drones, armoured vehicles, and communications systems.

Rishi Sunak confirmed last week that the UK would provide Kyiv with 14 of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks to help its forces "push Russian troops back".

The Kremlin has sought to downplay the significance of the move. "They are using this country as a tool to achieve their anti-Russian goals," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "These tanks are burning and will burn just like the rest."

The UK has sent over a dozen Challenger 2 tanks (Reuters) 

But Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said: "We have seen very clearly that the Ukrainian armed forces have been very effective with the equipment that we have provided to them.

"I think there is a plethora of evidence for that and we are confident they will do so again."