The Russian newspaper "Gazeta" published a report highlighting the arms supplies that the West is expected to supply to Ukraine in the near future, and the Russian reactions to some of them.

The newspaper criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's pledge to send combat tanks to Ukraine, describing the move as a violation of military taboos.

The newspaper's correspondent, Mikhail Kotlyar, who prepared the report, quoted the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Russian State Duma, Alexei Pushkov, as saying that France, by taking this step, is accelerating the direct military confrontation between NATO and Moscow.

The French President had pledged, during a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to deliver Western-designed light tanks to Kyiv, in a precedent that is the first of its kind since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The French presidency said in a statement that "the president wanted to increase" the military assistance provided to Kiev by agreeing to hand over light tanks of the model "AMX-10 RC" (AMX-10 RC).

Macron crossed red lines.

The Russian newspaper quoted a commentary published by the British newspaper "The Telegraph" on the event, in which it considered that Macron, with this step, had "violated the unwritten rules" governing the conflict in Ukraine.

The Telegraph also commented, “At first glance, the AMX-10 RC vehicles, equipped with a 105-millimeter cannon, do not look like anything special. But France's initiative crossed red lines by sending Western-made combat vehicles to Kyiv and violated taboos. military".

According to the "Gazeta" report, Pushkov wrote, in his own account on the Telegram application, "The Paris decision to deliver light vehicles to Ukraine will not change the course of the war. However, it may pave the way for supplying Ukraine with other types of offensive weapons and warns of drawing NATO into a direct military confrontation with Russia." Knowing that Macron's decision reflects the prevailing mood in Europe and their disappointment with Russia."

American pressure on Italy

The Russian "Gazeta" said that the US government is putting pressure on the Italian authorities to force them to provide new weapons to Ukraine.

It quoted the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" as saying that the US government is pressuring the Italian authorities regarding new arms supplies to Ukraine, adding, "In a conversation I had with the diplomatic advisor to the Italian Prime Minister Francesco Tallo, the US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, pressured Rome to supply Ukraine with military equipment to ensure air defense.


New US supply package

US President Joe Biden said last week that Washington is considering sending Bradley combat vehicles to Ukraine.

The Bradley armored vehicles, which are equipped with a powerful cannon and armor-piercing missiles, can act as troop carriers, and have been one of the primary means used by the US Army to transport troops on the battlefield since the mid-1980s.

This American vehicle would give Ukraine more combat power on the battlefield and enhance its ability in trench warfare.

But Biden's move will stop short of sending in the famous "Abrams" tanks that Ukraine has sought.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked Western allies to provide it with heavy combat vehicles such as the "Abrams" and German-made "Leopard" tanks.

And Russian Gazeta indicated in its report that the United States agreed to provide a new package of military aid to Ukraine worth more than $ 3 billion, according to Karen Jean-Pierre, a spokeswoman for the White House.

The new US supplies include 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 100 M113 armored personnel carriers, 55 mine- and ambush-resistant armored vehicles, 138 Humvees and 18 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzers. According to the Russian Gazeta report.

The Russian newspaper concluded that Ukraine will also receive "C Sparrow" anti-aircraft missiles, in addition to "HIMARS" missile launchers and other artillery shells, missiles, rifles and machine guns.