M1 Abrams tanks land in Ukraine, Zelenskyy says

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The first batch of U.S.-made M1 Abrams tanks has arrived in Ukraine and will soon provide Kyiv with greater combat power in its war against Russia, President Volodomyr Zelenskyy announced Monday on social media.

“Good news from (Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem) Umerov. Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades,” Mr. Zelenskyy said on his Telegram page.

The Biden administration’s original plan was to ship Ukraine 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams tanks, but that could have taken at least a year before they would have seen any action on a battlefield. Earlier this year, officials in Washington opted instead to send Ukraine the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from U.S. stocks and upgraded.

The Abrams will offer Ukraine greater mobility and firepower than the Soviet-era tanks in their arsenal. They will soon join the ranks of other armored combat vehicles provided by NATO countries such as the British Challenger and the German-made Leopard.

A year ago, Ukraine’s backers — including the U.S. — resisted Kyiv’s pleas for NATO-standard armored combat vehicles. They feared such a move would generate more Russian aggression. But in January, they relented and agreed to send Ukraine advanced tanks.

Over the past week, Kyiv’s forces have advanced into Russian-held territory in the Orikhiv and Bakhmut sectors in southern Ukraine. In both areas, they have defeated Russian counterattacks and maintained their hold on recently liberated territory, British military officials said Monday.

“Over the last nine months, the Russian force in Ukraine has proved itself capable of conducting stalwart defensive operations. However, it continues to display only minimal capability on the offensive,” U.K. defense officials said on X. “Commanders struggle to orchestrate complex joint effects, to concentrate sufficient artillery ammunition, and to maintain high morale and offensive spirit.”