Ukrainian Forces Deploy British Challenger 2 Tanks in Kursk Offensive

Ukrainian forces have reportedly used British Challenger 2 tanks during their offensive in the Kursk region, according to sources cited by the BBC. The UK Ministry of Defense has declined to specify which London-supplied weapons were deployed by the Ukrainian military in this operation.

Earlier, a Ministry of Defense spokesperson reaffirmed that under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine has the right to self-defense, which includes conducting operations on Russian soil. The British government maintains that its policy has not changed, and that Ukraine has always had the autonomy to utilize the supplied weapons as it sees fit.

The sole exception remains the use of Storm Shadow missiles, which were delivered to Ukraine with the condition that they not be used against targets within Russian territory. However, as reported by The Times, UK officials are currently in discussions with their allies about potentially revising this restriction.

The presence of British tanks on Russian territory has sparked reactions from Russian state media. Notably, Olga Skabeyeva, a prominent voice on Russian television, remarked that "for the first time since World War II, occupation troops are on our territory."