The Czech Republic is the first country to send Ukraine tens of T-72 tanks to help its army defend against Russian attacks, news site Echo24 reported on Tuesday.

Armoured personnel carriers were also sent and both are considered a gift following an agreement among NATO allies.

The news was later confirmed by Defence Minister Jana Černochová (ODS), who is among the strongest Ukraine supporters in the government.

Sadly, the "new phase" (negotiations) seems to be dead, killed by the Russians (perhaps through sheer carelessness)

It possibly helps that the Czechs don't have a border with Russia, but one hopes that the floodgates will be open for serious weaponry. The Ukrainian army is better-led, and has vastly greater tactical skill, than the Russians, and has sufficient manpower; now they need the hardware to roll them back.

Because (until they surprise us) they only understand force.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}