Are the US Abrams tanks arriving in Ukraine too late?
(Baonghean.vn) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces are unable to operate US-made Abrams tanks on the battlefield due to the characteristics of this weapon. Significantly, this is something that analysts have been warning about for a long time.
Ria Novosti, citing an analysis in the German newspaper Merkur, reported that the American Abrams tank is unsuitable for combat on the Ukrainian battlefield.
According to Merkur, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was warned that one of the Abrams tanks' characteristics is its excessive weight. Along with that, its high fuel consumption and logistical problems would arise under conditions of continuous combat.
The US agreed to supply Ukraine with 31 Abrams tanks in January of this year. However, the first delivery 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 counteroffensive against Russia.
However, some Western experts and Ukrainian officials believe that the sheer volume, time constraints, and logistical challenges currently make the Abrams tank unsuitable for effective deployment on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Oleksiy Honcharenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, said the 31 tanks "cannot make a difference," although Kyiv is "very grateful" for the supply. The Ukrainian lawmaker suggested that the Abrams "family" seemed to have arrived too late to truly revive Ukraine's efforts on the southern and eastern fronts.
Researcher Marina Miron from the Institute for the Study of War at King's College London also assessed the situation similarly. Abrams tanks alone are not enough to make a significant difference in the conflict in Ukraine. Military officials say it will take some time before American Abrams tanks can be deployed in combat. Ukraine must first establish new supply lines for ammunition and spare parts, and ensure there are enough fuel tankers to operate the Abrams tanks.
Furthermore, according to Merkur, the US arms delivery to Ukraine coincided with Ukraine's notoriously muddy and rainy season. And a harsh winter looms. Experts believe that the Abrams heavy 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 task under a hail of Russian gunfire.
Despite the anticipated change in weather, Ukraine has declared that it will continue fighting. Major General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, emphasized: "Fighting in cold, wet, and muddy conditions is more difficult. But the fighting will continue, the counterattack will continue."
