US Abrams tanks arrive in Ukraine too late?
(Baonghean.vn) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces cannot operate US-made Abrams tanks on the battlefield due to the characteristics of this weapon. It is worth noting that this is something that analysts have long warned about.
Ria Novosti quoted an analysis in the German newspaper Merkur saying that the US Abrams tank is not suitable for fighting on the Ukrainian battlefield.
According to Merkur, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was warned that one of the characteristics of the Abrams tank is its excessive weight. Along with that, it consumes a lot of fuel, and in conditions of continuous combat, it will have logistical problems.
The US agreed to supply 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January this year. However, the first deliveries did not take place until early September. These arms shipments, along with tank supplies from the UK and Germany, are expected to turn the tide of Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia.
However, some Western experts and Ukrainian officials believe that the current volume, time and logistical problems cannot make Abrams tanks effective on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Oleksiy Honcharenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, said the 31 tanks “cannot make a difference”, although Kiev was “very grateful” for the supplies. The Ukrainian lawmaker said it appeared the Abrams “family” had arrived too late to really revive Ukraine’s efforts on the southern and eastern fronts.
Marina Miron, a researcher at the Institute of War Studies at King's College London, has a similar assessment. Abrams tanks alone are not enough to make a significant difference in the conflict in Ukraine. Military officials say it will be some time before the US Abrams tanks can be deployed in combat. Ukraine must first establish new supply lines for ammunition and spare parts, and ensure it has enough tankers to operate the Abrams.
In addition, according to Merkur, the US arms delivery to Ukraine comes during Ukraine's notoriously rainy and muddy season. And a harsh winter is ahead. Experts say that the heavy Abrams tanks will have limited mobility in muddy terrain. Therefore, the Ukrainian army will need other armored vehicles to pull the Abrams out of the mud. A dangerous job under the "rain of bullets" from the Russian side.
Despite the expected change in weather, Ukraine has said it will continue to fight. “It is more difficult to fight in cold, wet and muddy conditions,” said Major General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence. “But the fighting will continue, the counterattack will continue.”
