Russia has criticized Germany's decision to deploy Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, stating that German and American armoured vehicles "would burn like all the others" if they reached the front lines.
However, a former Kremlin insider and Western military analysts feel that the "superior" new arrivals could give Ukraine an advantage and weaken Mr Putin's domestic position.
On Wednesday, the German chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that his country would send tanks to Ukraine, citing "close coordination" with its allies. Washington also declared that 31 Abrams M1 tanks would be sent to Ukraine.
The Kremlin warned that American and German tanks would "burn like all the others" and deemed the choice foolish.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Kremlin, stated, "I am convinced that many specialists recognize the absurdity of this concept." "Based on technological considerations alone, this is a reasonably terrible concept.
"The most crucial point is that this is a blatant overestimation of the value [the supply of tanks] would give to the Ukrainian military.
These tanks will perish just as all the others have... However, they are expensive and will be borne by European taxpayers."
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, stated that the German decision confirmed a "pre-planned war" against Moscow.
The Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev, stated that Germany's decision to send tanks to a warzone violated its "historical responsibility" to Russia from the Second World War.
"This perilous decision escalates the conflict to a new level of confrontation and contradicts German politicians' statements that the Federal Republic of Germany will not be drawn into the conflict," he said.
It ruins the last vestiges of confidence, causes irreversible harm to the already awful state of Russian-German ties, and doubts the likelihood of their normalization shortly.
"Berlin's decision signifies the Federal Republic of Germany's final refusal to acknowledge its historical responsibility to our people for the heinous, enduring crimes of Nazism during the Great Patriotic War, and the consigning to the oblivion of the difficult path of post-war reconciliation between Russians and Germans."
Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the United States, described a US delivery of tanks as "another blatant provocation."
Mr Antonov stated through Telegram, "It is evident that Washington is intentionally attempting to hand us a strategic loss."
Our troops will destroy American tanks in the same manner as every other piece of NATO equipment.
However, the former speechwriter for Vladimir Putin cautioned that the advent of modern Western tanks in Ukraine indicated a failure of deterrence that may weaken the president's standing at home.
Abbas Gallyamov, a current political adviser, said, "Even though these tanks won't alter the situation on the frontline, they indicate that support for Ukraine is growing."
"This is a bad sign for the Kremlin, which is trying to convince a war-weary and fearful Russian population that (Ukraine's allies) are becoming weaker." Mr Gallyamov noted that upcoming European shipments demonstrate that "deterrence is ineffective."
"Yesterday, the west feared sending tanks to Ukraine, but not today," he remarked. "The pressure is increasing, and the dynamics are negative."
Moscow has attempted to preserve calm by sending soothing indications that the war in Ukraine is proceeding smoothly and that its objectives will be achieved. According to the former speechwriter, the growing backing from the West confuses this message.
Mr Gallyamov stated, "The population is on the verge of panic, and the only thing keeping them calm is the message 'everything is under control and proceeding as planned.'" "However, the situation is deteriorating...it is becoming increasingly apparent that Putin is no longer in charge."
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's weapons trade specialist Pieter Wezeman, the tanks would provide Ukraine with a qualitative advantage.
"Of course, anything Ukraine receives is cause for concern for Russia, especially if it is advanced tanks, which have proven to be superior to the majority of known Russian tank types," he told i.
Who knows what surprises we will still face in the Ukraine war? However, based on what we've observed over the past year, we may assume that these tanks are superior."
Mr Wezeman added, however, that Ukraine will undoubtedly need further deliveries of sophisticated weapons to retake its land.
"(The tanks) will provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to push back Russian forces, but I do not believe they will be sufficient," he said.
"This is why Ukraine continues to request a great deal more equipment...
Additionally, they desire Western combat planes and long-range missiles.
