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Protests and worries as West pledges tanks to Kyiv
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks next to a Leopard 2 battle tank of the German armed forces as he visits German troops during a training exercise at the military ground in Ostenholz, northern Germany, October 17, 2022. /CFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks next to a Leopard 2 battle tank of the German armed forces as he visits German troops during a training exercise at the military ground in Ostenholz, northern Germany, October 17, 2022. /CFP

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks next to a Leopard 2 battle tank of the German armed forces as he visits German troops during a training exercise at the military ground in Ostenholz, northern Germany, October 17, 2022. /CFP

The latest promise by Western countries to send high-tech battle tanks to Ukraine has aroused not only protests and condemnation, but also worries that more advanced weaponry could be next.

The Russian side fired wave of missiles and self-exploding drones at nearly a dozen Ukrainian provinces early Thursday, killing at least 11 people, as the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the move to provide Ukraine with modern tanks reflected the West's growing involvement in the conflict.

Also on Thursday night, a protest against supplies of German tanks and weapons was held in the German city Munich.

Hundreds of people carrying flags and banners with calls for peace and criticism of weapons supplies to Kyiv gathered in the city's central Marienplatz square.

Germany and the United States said on Wednesday that they would send dozens of modern tanks to Ukraine. More tanks will come from Canada, Poland, Britain, Finland and Norway while several more allies including France, Spain and the Netherlands are also considering sending tanks.

Germany's decision to give tanks to Ukraine also drew condemnation from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said at a press conference on Wednesday that the German government succumbed to media pressure.

Noting Germany did not want to get too involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Obrador said that "contrary to the opinion of the German population, the majority of Germans, the government decides to send more weapons to Ukraine due to pressure from the German media."

Reports and analysis also expressed worries about what the West's tank promise could lead to. Given tanks for Ukraine once seemed unthinkable, an analysis on CNN considered whether fighter jets could be next.

After being promised modern tanks, Ukraine is now seeking Western fourth-generation fighter jets such as the U.S. F-16, Reuters reported, citing an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister.

However, Tim Swejis, director of research at The Hague Center for Strategic Studies, told CNN that by themselves F-16s would not be game-changing.

And an opinion piece in the Guardian by Martin Kettle argued that sending tanks to Ukraine makes clear this is now a Western war against Russia, and that Ukraine has inescapably placed more of its future in U.S. hands.

(With input from agencies)

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