The United States decided to send 31 Abrams M1A1 main battle tanks to Ukraine in January 2023. According to two officials, Ukraine would have withdrawn them from the war front.
Ukraine has withdrawn US-supplied Abrams M1A1 main battle tanks from the front lines, two US officials say news agency AP by.
Ukraine is finding it increasingly difficult to protect tanks because Russia is able to detect them with its surveillance aircraft. Due to its weakened air defense, Ukraine also does not have the conditions to shoot down Russian airplanes from the sky.
Tanks have thus become moving targets for the Russians.
“There is no open country in Ukraine that you can just drive over without fear of detection,” a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday.
HS:n factstarkistajaja John Helin notes that the transfer of tanks from the front is above all a consequence of the inadequacy of the aid provided by Ukraine’s western allies.
“Ukraine’s air defense has weakened, so it is unable to protect tanks from Russia’s drone war.”
Without effective air defense, keeping tanks on the front would be a waste of them, according to Helin.
The United States decided to send 31 Abrams M1A1 main battle tanks to Ukraine in January 2023. According to Ukraine, they have been “vital” in the fight against Russia.
“Until now, Ukraine has had no guarantee that it will receive more Abrams M1A1 main battle tanks. Therefore, it is not wise to keep the wagons on the front where Russia could easily destroy them,” says Helin.
Ukraine has used Abrams M1A1 main battle tanks, for example, north of the city of Avdijivka.
“Pulling the wagons away from the frontline will of course weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself in battles. However, one cannot draw the conclusion that the withdrawal of the wagons from the front would immediately give Russia the opportunity to advance,” says Helin.
According to Helin, bringing tanks back to the front line requires that Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian drone warfare improves.
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces Christopher Gradyn according to the United States is currently trying to find a solution to this with Ukraine.
“We’re working with our Ukrainian partners and other partners on the ground to help them think about how they could use it (ground armor) in such a changed environment where everything is seen immediately,” Grady told the AP.