The first American Abrams tanks have arrived in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “The Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades,” Zelensky wrote in Telegram on Monday. In total, the United States announced the transfer of 31 main battle tanks to Ukraine.
Zelensky did not provide any information on the number of American tanks already in the country. He thanked the Allies for the arms assistance. The US is considered Kiev’s main military backer.
According to government figures, U.S. military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war amounts to $43.9 billion. Recently, weapons and equipment worth $128 million (approximately €120 million) from US military stockpiles were again approved.
Reconsider ATACMS?
ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers, which Kiev had long requested, were not yet included. Recently, however, there has apparently been a rethink in the Biden administration.
Ukraine’s Western allies had long struggled to supply battle tanks. The American announcement finally came in late January, paralleling the German promise of Leopard tanks.
The US also hesitated when it came to Abrams
Initially, the US government argued that it did not consider the delivery of this battle tank useful for several practical reasons. Ultimately, however, Washington surprisingly reversed course. Ukrainian soldiers were trained on the Abrams at the US military training area in Grafenwöhr, Bavaria.
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian war of aggression for 19 months. The country is highly dependent on Western financial and military aid. Last year, the Ukrainian army managed to hold back the Russian army before Kiev and later forced the Russians to withdraw in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkov and the Black Sea region of Kherson.
First successes in the south
Since June, another Ukrainian offensive has been underway with the aim of liberating even more areas, especially in the south, and driving a wedge between the Russian occupation forces stationed there. So far this offensive has been very slow. Western military observers attribute this to massive mining in the area by Russian forces. It is said that the Ukrainians have now breached this first defensive wall at least in one place.
The tanks are intended to advance as quickly as possible after overcoming the minefields to conquer further terrain.
Source: Krone
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