WASHINGTON: US top military officials said that Ukraine has sidelined US-supplied Abrams battle tanks for now in its fight against Russian forces, in part because Russian drone attack has made it very difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under strike.
According to Associated Press, the decision to deploy 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January 2023 followed a vigorous lobbying effort by Kyiv, emphasizing the tanks’ crucial role in breaching Russian defenses, despite their hefty price tag of approximately $10 million each.
However, the battlefield dynamics have evolved significantly since then, primarily due to the widespread deployment of Russian surveillance and hunter-killer drones. These drones have greatly complicated Ukraine’s ability to protect the tanks, as they are swiftly identified and targeted by Russian drones or artillery fire.
Already, five of the 31 tanks have succumbed to Russian attacks. The prevalence of drones has rendered open terrain vulnerable, with a senior defense official cautioning that there is no longer any ground where tanks can maneuver without fear of detection.
Consequently, the tanks have been relocated from the frontline, as the US collaborates with Ukrainian forces to reassess tactics. Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady, along with a third defense official speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed this strategic shift ahead of Friday’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.
