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First Abrams Tanks Arrive in Ukraine, U.S. Officials Say

www.nytimes.com First Abrams Tanks Arrive in Ukraine, Zelensky Says

U.S. officials said that an initial batch of the 31 M1 Abrams tanks promised to Ukraine by the Biden administration had been delivered, months ahead of estimates.

First Abrams Tanks Arrive in Ukraine, Zelensky Says
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  • This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The first American-made Abrams tanks have been delivered to Ukraine, two U.S. defense officials said, arriving months ahead of initial estimates and in time to be used in Kyiv’s counteroffensive against Russian forces.

    But Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, has warned that the Abrams would need to be deployed “in a very tailored way, for very specific, well-crafted operations,” or risk being destroyed.

    Their arrival represents part of an extraordinary effort by Western allies — responding to relentless pushing from Ukraine — to deliver a powerful weapon months ahead of schedule.

    Just one year ago, allies had resisted sending Western-made tanks to Ukraine, concerned that doing so would draw NATO more directly into the war and further escalate tensions with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

    By January, however, convinced that Ukraine needed more heavy armored vehicles to confront Russian forces, Britain, Germany and the United States each agreed to supply the modern Western tanks or allow for them to be transferred to Kyiv.

    U.S. troops began training Ukrainian forces in late spring, conducting an abbreviated 12-week course to operate Abrams tanks at American military bases in Germany.


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