(Dan Tri) – Expert explains why the batch of Abrams main battle tanks provided by the US is unlikely to help Ukraine change the situation in the conflict with Russia that has lasted nearly 20 months.
US M1 Abrams main battle tank (Photo: Veteran Life).
According to Newsweek, the US has handed over a batch of Abrams tanks to Ukraine and they are ready to deploy on the battlefield.
The US delivered the first Abrams to Ukraine at the end of September and as of early this week, all 31 Washington pledged aid had been delivered to Kiev.
Abrams can help Ukraine increase its combat capabilities, but some Western experts and Ukrainian officials believe that the number of vehicles, delivery time and logistics problems are factors that can reduce the effectiveness of the line.
Oleksiy Goncharenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, admitted that 31 tanks `could not make a difference`, although Kiev was grateful for the US support.
`This year, it seems too late for Abrams to have a real impact on Ukraine’s counteroffensive efforts in the South and East,` he told Newsweek. `But it’s clear that the war is not over.
Marina Miron, a researcher at King’s College London (UK), added: `The number of Abrams is not enough to make a difference in Ukraine.`
She said the number of vehicles is quite small, but Ukraine must create a new supply chain for ammunition and replacement parts, as well as ensure there are enough fuel tankers to support the tanks in operation.
`All this not only creates problems for the supply chain but also makes it an attractive target for Russian artillery and drones,` she warned.
Some analysts have long argued that the Abrams tank has a number of characteristics that make it less suitable for Ukraine’s actual needs.
This tank is much heavier than equivalent Russian tanks and Soviet-era models used by Ukraine.
Expert Miron warned: `I don’t think this will be a game changer. It could be the opposite. It could be more beneficial than harmful.`
The timing of the transfer is also an issue.
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, said Abrams will be used in carefully planned breakthrough offensive operations, otherwise they will not be able to survive for too long on the money.
Previously, Gustav Gressel, a military expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) based in Germany, talked about how vulnerable Abrams tanks are in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The continued development of drones in conflict has been dramatically changing the threat Abrams tanks face, Gressel said.
This expert believes that, as UAVs become more advanced, the Abrams’ traditional armor may not be enough to withstand precision attacks, increasing the risk of super tanks being destroyed.
