TOKYO -- Despite fielding a smaller army, Ukrainian forces have put up a tougher response than anticipated to Russia's invasion thanks in no small part to the multitude of Javelin missiles provided by Western nations.
Measuring 1.2 meters in length, the Javelin can be transported and fired by a single soldier. Yet the weapon, made by American contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, has enough firepower to pierce tank armor from 2.5 km away.
The traits have made the Javelin the weapon of choice for repelling tank invasions in urban settings. A Javelin operator can covertly approach and engage a target in that setting. The weapons could prove even more crucial as a 65 km long tank convoy moved its way toward Kyiv on Tuesday.
In January, the U.S. delivered $200 million worth of weapons to Ukraine, including 300 Javelins. Washington approved additional military aid on Saturday following Russia's invasion.
During President Barack Obama's term in office, the U.S. did not supply Ukraine with Javelins when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. But under President Donald Trump, Washington reversed course and decided to equip Ukraine with the weapons.
Ukraine faces a much larger opponent in terms of military resources. Russian defense spending stood at $61.7 billion in 2020, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it fourth in the world. Meanwhile, Ukraine only spent $5.9 billion on defense that year.
The Russian military can mobilize 900,000 active-duty personnel against Ukraine's army of 196,000. Russia has 15,000 armored military vehicles, including tanks, which is five times Ukraine's fleet.
In other words, Ukraine would be no match against Russia if both nations adopt the same military approach.
Advanced light weaponry that can inflict significant damage on enemy equipment is Ukraine's ace in the hole. The U.S. and European nations have supplied Ukraine with a variety of hardware.
"Saint Javelin" stickers are offered on a site soliciting donations.
Germany, among others, have decided to provide such arms as surface-to-air Stinger missiles and antitank missiles. Great Britain is believed to have provisioned NLAW, the next-generation antitank missile system developed jointly with Sweden.
Poland is preparing to deliver its homegrown portable air-defense missile system, the PZR Grom. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have each sent portable missiles to Ukraine.
To counter the invasion, Ukraine has seemingly chosen to adopt asymmetric warfare, which involves unconventional tactics when one side is severely outgunned by the other. As a result, Russia remained bogged down Tuesday in a war that was anticipated to be over within a few days, but has stretched to nearly a week.
In Ukraine, an image of a religious icon holding a Javelin launcher -- dubbed "St. Javelin" -- is circulating on social media. The depiction has come to symbolize the resistance.
The presence of Javelins and other light arms is not expected to compensate for Russia's overwhelming military capabilities, according to Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, the retired chief of staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
"If Russia concentrates forces on Kyiv, it is likely that Ukraine will ultimately yield," said Iwata, adding that Russia's fierce onslaught appears to be aimed at gaining an upper hand in cease-fire talks.
