.news from RussiaRussian Forces Disable American Abrams Tanks in Ukraine Conflict, Threatening Role of Tanks in Modern Warfare
April 20, 2024 at 06:43 AM
Photo: rbc.ru
Russian forces have reportedly disabled five out of the 31 American Abrams tanks transferred to the Ukrainian army over the past two months, according to a high-ranking source in the United States cited by the New York Times. This represents a small portion of the total number of tanks lost by the Ukrainian side throughout the full-scale conflict. The majority of losses have been attributed to Soviet-era tanks and Ukrainian-made vehicles. Only around 140 disabled tanks have been transferred to NATO countries, such as 30 German Leopard tanks.
The Russian Ministry of Defense estimates that since February 2022, Russian forces have destroyed 15,802 Ukrainian tanks and other armored vehicles. The first report of a disabled Abrams tank was made at the end of February, with the ministry reporting a total of six Abrams tanks destroyed. The most recent report of an Abrams tank being disabled was on April 1st. The New York Times notes that tanks are a key symbol of American military power, and the way relatively inexpensive drones are able to destroy these machines is changing the understanding of modern conflict and threatening the role of tanks in warfare.
Depending on their size and complexity, drones can cost around $500, a stark contrast to the $10 million price tag of a single Abrams tank. Despite their power, tanks are not invulnerable, with traditional weak spots including the top, engine compartment, and the area of armor between the hull and turret, where it is thinnest. Military analyst, instructor, and Austrian Colonel Markus Reisner pointed out that after a tank is struck by more conventional weapons, drones are used to finish them off to prevent them from being taken off the battlefield for repairs. Officials and analysts believed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces planned to keep Western tanks for a future offensive in 2025 and did not want to risk losing them by deploying them to the front lines before then, the publication reported. However, Abrams tanks were reportedly spotted as early as 2024 as part of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, which was engaged in defensive operations.
The Russian Ministry of Defense estimates that since February 2022, Russian forces have destroyed 15,802 Ukrainian tanks and other armored vehicles. The first report of a disabled Abrams tank was made at the end of February, with the ministry reporting a total of six Abrams tanks destroyed. The most recent report of an Abrams tank being disabled was on April 1st. The New York Times notes that tanks are a key symbol of American military power, and the way relatively inexpensive drones are able to destroy these machines is changing the understanding of modern conflict and threatening the role of tanks in warfare.
Depending on their size and complexity, drones can cost around $500, a stark contrast to the $10 million price tag of a single Abrams tank. Despite their power, tanks are not invulnerable, with traditional weak spots including the top, engine compartment, and the area of armor between the hull and turret, where it is thinnest. Military analyst, instructor, and Austrian Colonel Markus Reisner pointed out that after a tank is struck by more conventional weapons, drones are used to finish them off to prevent them from being taken off the battlefield for repairs. Officials and analysts believed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces planned to keep Western tanks for a future offensive in 2025 and did not want to risk losing them by deploying them to the front lines before then, the publication reported. However, Abrams tanks were reportedly spotted as early as 2024 as part of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, which was engaged in defensive operations.
By Carmen Ordidze and Ekaterina Kuznetsova
