Ukraine complains about M1 Abrams tanks after pleading for tanks
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Ukraine is complaining about the M1 Abrams tanks it received from the US after spending months begging for tanks from its Western partners.
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Russian soldier poses next to a destroyed M1 Abrams tank on the Western front on May, 2024 (Social media)
Ukrainian military crews maintaining the M1 Abrams tanks, provided by the United States, have raised concerns about the performance and suitability of the armored vehicles in the ongoing conflict, according to a report by CNN on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian crews highlighted several significant issues with the $10 million tanks, particularly their vulnerability to modern weaponry. They reported that the tanks' armor is insufficient against contemporary threats such as drones, failing to provide adequate protection for personnel. This shortcoming has made the Abrams tanks a prime target for Russian forces, one crew member noted.
🇺🇦🇷🇺‼️🚨 “This Abrams came fresh from Poland and it’s already broken down.”
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) May 29, 2024
LOL
pic.twitter.com/uTQeoIqIiF
Technical problems have also plagued the tanks, with condensation reportedly affecting electronic components.
Moreover, the Ukrainian crews argued that the M1 Abrams tanks were not well-suited to Ukraine's specific battlefield circumstances. Typically, air power and artillery are used to clear the battlefield before tanks and troops advance. However, Ukrainian forces lack these critical elements, making the deployment of the Abrams tanks less effective.
The United States has supplied 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, which are currently deployed near the frontlines in the eastern region of the country. The decision to send these tanks was controversial due to the complex supply chains and maintenance requirements associated with the vehicles.
It is also significant to note that these complaints come at a time when Ukraine is asking to be able to strike deep into Russian territory, and the complaint that Kiev's forces are unable to use the tanks properly because they don't have the proper weaponry to attack Russian positions that jeopardize said tanks directly means that this protest is just another bid to demand the usage of long-range weapons to target Russia.
This comes amid growing calls to permit Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons to strike inside Russia. This issue has stirred debate among Kiev's allies, highlighting differences in their approaches to the conflict, with France being the latest to demand that Ukraine be allowed to attack Russia.
Germany, for instance, has been hesitant to support strikes over the border, concerned about escalating the conflict with Moscow.
Scholz underscored the importance of adhering to international law in the use of weapons supplied to Ukraine, noting, "There are rules for using weapons supplied to Ukraine, and this must always be within the framework of international law."
The Ukrainian armed forces have since the start of the war been using US equipment to strike Russian targets, which Moscow has been condemning for years as an extension of US aggression on Russia, asking that Washington halt arms exports to Ukraine before it goes too far.
NATO, in fact, has joined in, also requesting that Kiev be permitted to strike inside Russia, stressing that Ukraine being denied "the possibility of using these weapons against legitimate military targets on Russian territory makes it very hard for them to defend themselves."
