Ukraine is reportedly getting its 1st advanced Western battle tanks on invasion's anniversary

Poland is delivering the first of 14 promised German Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine on Friday, exactly one year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Bloomberg News reports. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who arrived in Kyiv on Friday to mark the one-year anniversary of the war, will announce the delivery during his visit, an official tells Bloomberg.

The arrival of advanced Western tanks on Friday would be ahead of schedule. Ukrainian tank crews pulled from the front lines started training on the Leopards in Poland on Feb. 4, and in Germany on Feb. 13. The condensed training was expected to last 30 days. Poland invited reporters to watch the training during Polish President Andrzej Duda's Feb. 13 visit to the training site. The Ukrainian tank commander, Maj. Vadym Khodak, told reporters his 105 troops at the Polish base — 21 tank crews — are learning fast.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.