According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the UK will be sending 14 Challenger II main battle tanks to Ukraine and will begin training crews in the next week or two. The number of tanks being sent amounts to 3 platoons which would nominally create a tank company with supporting vehicles attached to it.

The news came to Ukrainian President Zelensky in a  January 14th phone call with UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.  A press release by the Prime Minister’s office described the call this way,

The leaders reflected on the current state of Russia’s war in Ukraine, with successive Ukrainian victories pushing Russian troops back and compounding their military and morale issues.

They agreed on the need to seize on this moment with an acceleration of global military and diplomatic support to Ukraine.

The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems.

The Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy welcomed other international commitments in this vein, including Poland’s offer to provide a company of Leopard tanks.

The Prime Minister stressed that he and the whole UK Government would be working intensively with international partners to deliver rapidly the kind of support which will allow Ukraine to press their advantage, win this war and secure a lasting peace.

The artillery systems referred to are the BEA-built AS-90 Braveheart, a self-propelled gun using the L131 cannon in 155 mm. The UK is sending 30 of the AS-90s to Ukraine along with ammunition and spare parts.