2023-09-26 19:19:34
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced the arrival of the first American M1 Abrams tanks to his country, in a momentous moment for the Ukrainian armed forces. Although the president confirmed the “good news” from Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, he did not detail the exact number of units that are available for the Ukrainian Army.
Perspective Writing
This arrival marks the fulfillment of a commitment made in January by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, during his meeting with Zelensky at the White House just a few days ago. Biden had assured that “the first tanks” of a total of 31 would arrive this week, equipped with depleted uranium munitions capable of piercing armored vehicles, but which also carry toxic risks for the military and the population.
Zelensky expressed his gratitude to allies and, in particular, Washington, for fulfilling their promises. According to reports in The New York Times, the tanks arrived “several months earlier than initially planned and just in time for kyiv to use them for the counteroffensive.” More units are expected to arrive in the coming months to complete the lot.
However, the arrival of the M1 Abrams comes at a critical time for the counteroffensive, and its immediate use is hampered by logistical issues. The Ukrainian Army is accelerating its operations in the weeks before the bad weather in the Zaporizhzhia region, where the most intense fighting has taken place along the entire front, according to the EFE Agency.
The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, has warned of the need to deploy the Abrams in a strategic and well-planned manner to avoid their destruction. «They will not live long on the battlefield. “They must be used in very specific and well-prepared rupture operations,” he acknowledged in an interview with The Drive portal.
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