Taking a cautious stance on supporting European tanks such as Germany… Announced on Zelensky’s birthday
It will take several months to reach India… Draw the line “I have no intention of attacking Russia”
The U.S. has decided to turn from its cautious stance and provide tank support to Ukraine fighting a Russian invasion.
As a result, the U.S. has virtually provided support for all weapons systems that Ukraine has been earnestly requesting, except for fighter jets.
The U.S. government’s announcement came at the same time as Germany and other European NATO members agreed to provide a number of tanks to Ukraine.
As Ukraine is expected to secure a large number of tanks with excellent mobility and firepower from the West, including the United States, attention is being paid to whether it will prepare a stepping stone to break the stalemate on the eastern front of Ukraine.
In a speech on the 25th (local time), US President Joe Biden said, “We will support 31 M1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine,” and “As soon as possible, we will start training Ukrainian forces (for the use of tanks).”
As the Ukrainian Army’s tank battalion is organized into 31 units, this is support tailored to one battalion.
President Biden disclosed the fact of the call with NATO leaders, including German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, on the morning of the same day and said, “We will continue to support Ukraine.
We are completely solidly united,” he said.
“Aiding Ukraine’s defense is not an attack on Russia,” he said.
If Russian troops stay in Russia, this war will end today, and ending the war is what we want.”
“Putin would hope that support from the United States and allies would wane over time, but he was wrong,” he said. “He was wrong from start to finish.
We will unite,” he said.
The day on which support for the Abrams tank was announced was also the 45th birthday of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
President Biden also mentioned this fact during his speech.
The US Army’s main tank, the Abrams, was equipped with a 120mm main gun, a .50 caliber machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun.
Equipped with a 1,500 horsepower gas turbine engine, it can travel at a maximum speed of 42 miles per hour (approximately 67 km).
The Abrams tank can use diesel, gasoline, or jet fuel as fuel, but it mainly uses jet oil, which is the most luxurious fuel, and the distance it can run with full refueling is not long, with a maximum of 265 miles (about 426 km).
In the meantime, the United States has been reluctant to support the Abrams tank because it is expensive and difficult to manage and operate, citing the fact that it is more difficult to procure the jet fuel used by the tank in Ukraine.
A high-ranking official explained that the Pentagon is preparing a plan to provide Ukraine with fuel and equipment needed to manage and operate the tanks, along with providing eight M88 recovery tanks to tow broken tanks.
Military experts rate the Abrams as superior to the T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks mainly used by Russia.
“We are proud to say that the Abrams tank is the best in the world,” said a senior official.
However, a high-ranking official explained that it will take several months for Ukraine to receive actual tanks as the support is provided by procuring new tanks, not stocks of the US military.
The U.S. plans to first provide education and training to the Ukrainian military so that they can master how to use tanks.
Ukraine is in the position that tanks are indispensable for launching a massive counterattack at a time when the fierce war of attrition with Russia is prolonging on the eastern front.
However, until recently, the U.S. was passive in providing tanks, saying it was focusing on providing weapons that Ukraine could use immediately.
In the midst of this, pressure from the alliance began, such as presenting the condition that the United States should also send an Abrams tank if Germany wants to support its own Leopard 2 tank.
A high-ranking official explained that the reason why the United States turned to tank support was that “as the warfare changes, the capability to support Ukraine evolves.”
/yunhap news