US completes delivery of Abrams tanks promised to Ukraine
The United States has handed over the promised 31 American M1A1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, along with spare parts and ammunition.
Source: Colonel Martin O'Donnell, Spokesman for the US Army Europe and Africa Command, in a comment to Voice of America; European Pravda reports
According to O'Donnell, all the Ukrainians who trained on tanks with the American troops in Germany also returned to Ukraine.
Quote: "We have lived up to our end of the bargain. From this point forward, it is up to them (Ukraine – ed.) to determine when and where they will deliver this capability," said the representative of the US Army.
He did not specify when exactly the last of the promised Abrams tanks arrived in Ukraine, but pointed out that a certain amount of time should pass before these can be deployed on the battlefield – for Ukrainian forces to make sure that all the necessary support elements are in place and to determine how best to use the tanks.
Quote: "I think Ukraine will be deliberate in when and where they use it. The Abrams tank is one hell of an armored vehicle, but it’s not a silver bullet. Ultimately, it's Ukraine's determination to break through that matters most," O'Donnell said.
The first of 31 American Abrams tanks was delivered to Ukraine at the end of September.
M1 Abrams will be among other tanks in Ukraine's arsenal, which it can use to advance and possibly liberate Russian-occupied territories in the eastern and southern oblasts.
Background:
- On 25 January 2023, US President Joe Biden confirmed his intention to transfer 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to strengthen its defence capabilities amid the Russian aggression.
- On 25 September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the first Abrams tanks from the United States had already arrived in Ukraine.
- Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said that Ukraine would use the Abrams tanks only for well-planned, breakthrough operations.
- Earlier, the New York Times reported on the arrival of Abrams tanks with reference to unnamed officials of the US Department of Defence.
- Prior to that, Politico wrote that 10 tanks would be sent to Ukraine at first.
- In addition, one of the latest aid packages from the United States contains depleted uranium shells for Abrams.
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