NYT: The first batch of American Abrams tanks arrived in Ukraine on September 23
The first batch of American Abrams tanks has been delivered to Ukraine, the NYT reported. Vladimir Zelensky confirmed their receipt. The head of the country's military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, warned that these combat vehicles "will not live long on the battlefield" and suggested using them for "very specific" operations.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the arrival of the first batch of American Abrams tanks in the country. According to him, this was reported by the head of the Ministry of Defense of the country Rustem Umerov.
The American newspaper New York Times was the first to write about the delivery of the Abrams batch, citing two sources in the Pentagon. According to the material, the combat vehicles were delivered on Saturday, September 23.
The number of tanks transferred is not specified, but sources claim that this is only part of the 31 vehicles promised by Washington. Further deliveries are expected in the coming months.
There was no official announcement by the American side about the transfer of Abrams. On September 21, US President Joe Biden, during a meeting with Zelensky at the White House, promised that Kiev would receive tanks "next week." Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder on the same day announced the arrival of tanks in Ukraine "in the coming days and weeks," but did not name the exact dates for reasons of "operational security."
In early September, the Pentagon announced that the United States would also transfer shells for Abrams with depleted uranium to Ukraine. There is no information about whether these ammunition were transferred along with the first batch of tanks.
"Abrams won't live long on the battlefield"
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, in an interview with War Zone, said that Abrams tanks after their transfer to Kiev cannot be used in combined-arms combat on the front line, since "they will not live long on the battlefield."
According to him, if the APU places a tank group on the battlefield, it "will be hit" as soon as it is in the range of artillery.
Image source: Alina Jus/"Newspaper.Ru"
What is known about Abrams for Ukraine
M1 Abrams is the main battle tank of the US Armed Forces, its mass production started in 1980. The crew of the tank consists of four people, the driver's compartment is located in front, and the commander, gunner and loader are in the turret. The combat vehicle is equipped with a 120-millimeter M-256 gun, as well as a Browning machine gun and two M240 machine guns. The maximum effective firing range is 3.5 km.
For the first time, the US plans to transfer Abrams to Ukraine were announced in January of this year, at the same time the Politico newspaper reported that the armored vehicles would be sent to the APU in "export form" - without secret armor made of depleted uranium. In May, the Ukrainian military began training in the management of these machines at landfills in Germany.
In early September, Millitary Watch Magazine, citing a report by the US Army Command in Europe and Africa, reported that tank deliveries, at that time scheduled for the middle of the month, could be postponed. According to MWM, the delay is due to the fact that the Ukrainian military during the counteroffensive "failed to achieve significant success" and "suffered heavy losses," including losing Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks supplied by Germany, British Challenger 2 tanks, American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and other Western equipment.
Semyon Sleepy
