Abrams tanks that US transferred to Ukraine were understaffed - Sullivan
The American Abrams tanks provided to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion were understaffed and proved to be ineffective on the battlefield.
According to Censor.NET with reference to RBC-Ukraine, this was stated by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during the National Defense Forum in the United States.
"When it comes to Abrams tanks, we have sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine. These Abrams tanks are not actually being used by the units because they are not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight," Sullivan said.
He added that this assessment is in line with the conclusions of the US military.
Regarding the US authorization for Ukraine to fire ATACMS missiles at Russian territory, Sullivan noted that this is "not a panacea for this war," but just another additional opportunity for the Ukrainian army.
To recap, the first Abrams tanks arrived in Ukraine in September 2023.
In April 2024, the Associated Press reported that Ukraine was withdrawing American Abrams M1A1 tanks from the front line due to the threat of Russian drones.
In October 2024, the Australian government announced the transfer of 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine with a total value of about AUD245 million ($164 million).
