He Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed this Tuesday the destruction of the first Abrams main battle tank on the battlefield, corresponding to the only batch delivered USA last year to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, consisting of a total of 31 tanks. The first Abrams arrived in Ukraine in September and probably played a minor role, ostensibly out of fear that the Russians would destroy one of the world’s best tanks. The destruction of the main battle tank was first announced by adviser to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Yan Gagin, who said that the destruction – of which unconfirmed videos appear on social networks – took place near the town of Avdivka.
However, according to Russian sources, the Ukrainian army had to resort to an armored train of this type in the bloody and harsh Battle of Avdivka, which Russia finally captured last week after months of confrontation. According to the same source, Ukraine had kept the Abrams in reserve, but when it ran out of remaining tanks, Kiev would have been forced to use the American main battle tank. It is currently unknown what caused the damage to the Abrams. There is speculation that it may have been the impact of a kamikaze drone with warheads designed to hit and detonate its targets. Yan Gagin,
The M1A1 Abrams, the Pentagon Files transferred to Ukraine belong to a less advanced version, that is, they do not have the Shielding based, among other things, on depleted uranium (one of the densest metals) This makes them unique on the market. How depleted uranium is used in a tank’s armor matrix is ​​a secret, and the U.S. government doesn’t export it even to its closest allies. This technology gives the armor unprecedented resistance to all types of impacts.
The United States has about 10,000 Abrams tanks. Most or almost all have this particular armor. The specimens delivered to Ukraine were modified to remove this material for fear that Russia might capture one of them on the battlefield and discover the nature of the material.
He Pentagon decided to send the Abrams under European pressure, especially under German pressure, where the government of Olaf Scholz approved the delivery of Leopard tank on the condition that the US does the same with its main battleship. It is worth remembering that the United Kingdom was the first European country to supply main battle tanks, in particular the Challenger 2.
In 2023, Russia destroyed several Leopard tanks supplied by Germany and other European countries. In September, the Russians destroyed a British Challenger 2 tank for the first time. At the time, it was said that it was the first time that the Challenger 2 had been destroyed in a theater of war. If the Russian Defense Ministry’s version is confirmed, This would be the first time Kremlin troops would hit an Abrams tank. In mid-February, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Ukrainian military had lost more than 15,100 tanks and armored vehicles since a large-scale war broke out in February 2022.
Military experts have claimed in the past that only a large number of Western tanks would have an impact on the course of the war. However, the US only sent a small amount, just 31 units, while more than a hundred of the Leopards are believed to have arrived. According to various sources, the total number of tanks produced in the West will in no case exceed 300.
What does Abrams’ main tank look like?
The Abrams displaces 62 tons and features an engine based on a powerful gas turbine and sophisticated composite armor. One of its most notable features is this Ammunition storage system. It is based on special chambers that redirect the force to the outside in the event of an explosion. In this way, the crew’s chances of survival are multiplied.
The United States once ruled out supplying Ukraine with its more advanced M1A2 tanks, ultimately only supplying the older M1A1 version.
Regarding the capabilities of the Abrams, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kiril Budánov, emphasized that they would not last long on the front lines.