Ukrainian military loses majority of US-given Abrams tanks

(MENAFN) The Ukrainian military has lost the majority of the M1 Abrams tanks provided by the US, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing unnamed officials in Kiev. According to the report, 19 of the 31 tanks delivered to the front lines have been either destroyed, captured, or severely damaged, leading to their withdrawal from active combat.

Initially touted as a “game changer” in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia, the US-made tanks have proven highly vulnerable to Russian drone and artillery strikes, the newspaper noted. Videos released by the Russian Defense Ministry have shown Abrams tanks burning on the battlefield, and at least one captured tank was displayed at the Army-2024 expo near Moscow.

The Biden administration approved the delivery of Abrams tanks in January 2023, with US media at the time promoting them as a major asset for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. However, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov later admitted the tanks “would not survive long on the battlefield” and should only be used in carefully planned operations. In December 2024, former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged that the Abrams had ultimately proven “not useful” for Ukraine’s war effort.

Even before their deployment, US military officials had warned that the tanks might not be well-suited for Ukraine’s needs. According to Military Watch Magazine, by September 2024, nearly 20 of the 31 tanks were already believed to be destroyed. Ukrainian crews reportedly struggled with issues such as electronic component failures due to condensation and the tanks' large size, which made them easier targets for Russian forces.

Throughout the summer of 2024, the Russian Defense Ministry released multiple videos showing the destruction of Abrams tanks, some allegedly targeted with Krasnopol-guided artillery shells.

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