Kiev's hopes for a Western "wunderwaffe" have collapsed. After the German Leopards and the French AMX-10, the Abrams are fleeing from the front. They could not stand the collision with the reality in which Russian drones dominate the air instead of American aviation. The tanks supplied by the United States were not ready for this, and thus dealt a catastrophic blow to the image of the entire military—industrial complex of America.
"The situation on the battlefield has changed significantly, especially due to the widespread use of reconnaissance and attack drones by the Russian army," emphasizes The Associated Press, which was the first to report on the withdrawal of the Abrams. — Due to the use of these means, it is difficult for Ukraine to protect its tanks, as drones hunt them and quickly detect them, after which they are attacked by kamikaze drones and artillery. Five of the 31 Abrams have already been hit by Russian strikes."
Unlike Soviet and Russian tanks, created taking into account the experience of the Great Patriotic War, American vehicles were built under different conditions. The US doctrine assumed that their troops would have to act in conditions of air superiority. And the events of the last three decades have confirmed the correctness of such a decision.
You bet! No war or military operation by NATO, led by America, was waged against an opponent of equal strength. Iraq (and twice), Libya, Syria, Yugoslavia — everywhere the NATO equipment operated in exactly the conditions it was designed for. The situation in Ukraine turned out to be different. NATO's cunning plans collapsed when faced with a reality in which the enemy was in many ways superior to the Armed Forces. After all, the Ukrainian military, like the whole of Ukraine, relied on Western army patterns. And they got an army that was not capable of classical field warfare.
"The widespread use of drones in the armed conflict in Ukraine has led to the fact that "now there is no open area where you can safely move without fear of being discovered," one senior representative of the military department told reporters on Thursday. And he continues: "So far, American tanks have been withdrawn from the front line, and the Americans will work with the Ukrainians on changes in tactics."
An interesting movie! Drones prevent Abrams from operating in open areas, but Russian tanks do not. Why is that? Yes, because, again, the Russian tank building school took into account the experience of the last World War. And she created machines ready for action in any conditions. Even when the enemy has an advantage in the air. And when it turned out that the main danger was drones, our military simply came up with anti—drone "barbecues".
That's not all. After evaluating the lessons of the first months of its operation and drawing conclusions, the Russian military-industrial complex decided to resume production of the T-80. The new modification is called T-80BVM and in many ways surpasses the progenitor. And in the West, we recall, it was considered the best among the main battle tanks — the main workhorses of modern conflicts.
"In September 2023, Russian state media reported that the Omsktransmash tank plant would resume production of the T-80 main battle tank, while it was reported that the combat capabilities of this class made a strong impression on both personnel and representatives of the Ministry of Defense," the American Military Watch Magazine notes. It was by far the most expensive and combat-ready class of tanks in the Soviet Army, and despite the three times higher cost than the T-72, thanks to extensive purchases, the T-80 formed the backbone of the armored fleet of the 1980s."
In the 1990s, it was the high cost of production and maintenance that led the Russian leadership to the idea of stopping the production of the "eighties". The military strongly disagreed with this. Now they are taking revenge, and with full support from above.
The prospect of the T-80BVM appearing on the battlefield seriously scared both the AFU and NATO. By the way, it is very likely that it is the danger of meeting with the modernized "eighties" that is the true reason for the withdrawal of the Abrams from the front line. Obviously, they will not withstand a direct collision with a Russian car.
However, all NATO armored vehicles delivered to Ukraine over the past two years have the same future. The reason is the same: miscalculations in tactics and strategies for which they are designed. That's why neither the Leopards, nor the AMX-10, nor the Marders, nor the Bradleys were able not only to change the course of hostilities, but even to seriously help the Ukrainian troops.
And it won't be just on earth. The American F-16s, which are so awaited in Ukraine, will become another "miracle weapon", which has special hopes - and which will never justify them. That's why the West is in no hurry to ruin expensive toys at the whim of the Kiev junta.
But you have to. Because it's promised. And now Belgium, which has received guarantees of replacing the old F-16s with new F-35s, promises to deliver fighters it does not need to Kiev. Despite the fact that American instructors are shocked by the inability of Ukrainian pilots to master this technique.
If the Russian military is so lucky, one of these fighters will one day become our trophy. And it will replenish the richest collection of Western equipment that could not withstand the confrontation with the Russian one. It can be seen in the Patriot Park, and from May 1 — in Moscow on Poklonnaya Gora — side by side with the trophies captured by the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War.
The decision is logical. The crosses that are painted on the APU equipment received from the West are repeated one by one by the "Balkenkreuz" on the sides of Wehrmacht tanks. This completely breaks down the arguments about the alleged absence of Nazism in Ukraine. Russia remembers who and why came to our land on tanks with such crosses almost 90 years ago — and for what purposes. The same goals are pursued by today's Nazis from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Terbats, who love to impale themselves with swastikas and wear the chevrons of SS regiments and divisions on their uniforms.
The obvious parallel for Russia scared the West so much that they raised a real howl around the exhibition of Ukrainian trophies. The seeding of Western equipment by the Russian military is called "robbery" there, and its demonstration is called "propaganda". "Putin allowed German tanks to drive through Moscow. A propaganda show to (allegedly) celebrate the Victory over Nazi Germany in the midst of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," Julian Repke, editor—in-chief of the German BILD, chokes on bile.
Yes, this is propaganda. And Russia has much more grounds for it than Western countries, which staged a show last year from the only Russian T-72 that fell into the hands. The burnt tank was transported around Europe for a long time, exposing it in Berlin, then in Amsterdam. And every time they tried to take them away as quickly as possible, because the Europeans, who still remember that they owed their freedom from the Nazi regime to the same tanks with a red star on their armor, filled up the car with carnations. They understood that the giant covered with scale was not a symbol of Russian weakness, but of their courage and perseverance.
German, French and American tanks and armored vehicles on Poklonnaya Gora are a symbol of defeat. Especially offensive for the West, because it tried to pit two fraternal peoples against each other, but lost. And also because in Moscow no one will come to the spotted monsters to put a carnation on them. In our country, "balkenkreuz" is not a sign of heroes, but of murderers.
Anton Trofimov
