Ukrainian forces adapt Abrams tanks to counter Russian threats
Ukrainian soldiers, part of the crew of an Abrams M1A1 tank, gave an interview in which they discussed how American machines are performing on the front lines. They also addressed Russian propaganda portraying Abrams tanks as outdated, too heavy, and lacking proper mobility.
A video featuring the statements of Ukrainian soldiers was published on YouTube, on the official channel of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was emphasised that "Abrams have successfully completed numerous combat missions in Ukraine, and when they appear on the battlefield, the Russians are genuinely afraid."
Ukrainians evaluated the Abrams tanks
Although described as reliable and providing high accuracy, Ukrainians did not refer to American tanks as invincible. They admit that the invaders have eliminated some of the 31 units delivered by the United States. However, they also emphasise that after certain upgrades made by Ukrainian specialists, the tanks from the USA are better protected and take into account the realities of the war with Russia.
"Field practice shows that these claims are nonsense. Despite its weight, the Abrams is very manoeuvrable and very fast," said Dmytro, the commander of one of the American tanks, referring to the accusations of Russian propaganda.
Abrams M1A1 variants were delivered to the front. The machines, weighing around 65 tonnes (with additional elements potentially making them heavier), have engines with a power of 1,500 hp and can reach speeds of over 65 kph. They are also equipped with an M256 120 mm smoothbore cannon and thermal cameras allowing operation at night, which, as Ukrainian soldiers emphasise, cannot be said about many older post-Soviet tanks.
Ukrainians found a solution to the Abrams' problems
Data provided by the creators of the Oryx blog, which monitors and documents equipment losses in the war in Ukraine, shows that the Russians have already destroyed or damaged 16 Abrams tanks.
Ukrainian soldiers claim that losses were mainly recorded in the initial stage of using these tanks when the realities of the war with Russia proved very challenging. This refers to new types of threats not observed on such a scale in previous conflicts, primarily the mass use of kamikaze drones by the Russians.
Now, as Ukrainian soldiers featured in the published video material claim, Abrams tanks are better adapted to clashes with the Russians. They have been reinforced with Kontakt-1 reactive armour blocks (in areas not covered by American ARAT blocks) and nets/grilles intended to protect against kamikaze drones. Although this solution is imperfect, practice shows that it often fulfils its role, as frequently shown in reports from the front.
