Ukrainian officials stated that they anticipate Western allies to provide them with long-range missiles following the decision of several nations, including the UK, US, and Germany, to send battalions of tanks to Ukraine. Presidential advisor Mikhailo Podolyak said that there is a change in sentiment among European countries and they will likely reach an agreement on long-range missiles. Nine other countries have also joined Britain in agreeing to send tanks to Ukraine in an effort to combat Russian forces in the east of the country. Germany will send 14 Leopard 2 tanks initially, with a goal of providing 80 tanks in total, while the US will supply 31 Abrams M1 tanks, and the UK will send 14 Challenger 2 tanks. Russia's Ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, called the decision "extremely dangerous" and said it "shifts the conflict to a new level of confrontation." Dr. Justin Bronk, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, stated that with the new armored vehicles, Ukraine has the potential to achieve decisive breakthroughs against Russia without suffering heavy losses. However, he added that if Western support arrives too late, the opportunity may not come again. The war in Ukraine has resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, with estimates suggesting that around 180,000 Russian troops have been killed, badly wounded, or captured since the start of the invasion.