2023-05-15 19:23:01
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder confirmed that 31 American M1 Abrams tanks had arrived in Germany. He stressed that the delivered units will be used only for training Ukrainian troops, they are not intended for use in combat conditions.
“These tanks are designed specifically for training and do not necessarily have the weapons needed in combat. Those tanks that we provide to Ukraine are undergoing a repair process right now,” Mr. Ryder told reporters (quoted by RIA Novosti).
He added that in parallel, the tanks intended to be sent to Ukraine are undergoing a process of “re-equipment”. They are planned to be improved so that they are prepared for use in combat. Patrick Ryder said that Washington plans to provide improved units before the end of 2023.
US President Joe Biden announced the shipment of 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine on January 25. The Associated Press reported that it was planned to provide the latest M1A2 models, but their production and delivery would take from a year to two years. In March, the Pentagon confirmed that it was planning to deliver tanks from warehouses, which are being “remodeled” to be suitable for export. The Financial Times wrote in February that the US Department of Defense plans to send new Abrams tanks manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems to Ukraine.
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