Armored speed and firepower – American Abrams tanks could be a game-changer on Ukrainian frontlines

The battles are being fought over a vast territory, and the Ukrainians are navigating through a significant number of minefields that the Russian have laid, he said.

“The Abrams tank is heavily armored... and it will give Ukrainian troops a lot more mobility, a lot more speed, and a lot more fire power to break through Russian defenses,” said Kirby.

When asked about concerns that these tanks were not suitable for Ukraine due to complex maintenance and logistics, Kirby replied that from that perspective, it is indeed a "challenging hurdle" that remains relevant.

 “We have taken lots of time making sure Ukrainians know how to maintain them and have a sufficient parts supply chain in place, so they could keep them going in the field. We’ll stay in close touch with them as these tanks start to find their way on to the battlefield and start to perform in combat, and make sure we adjust in real time, as needed,” said Kirby.

Ukraine has received the first shipment of American M1Abrams tanks several months ahead of schedule, announced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sept. 25, without confirming exactly how many were received.

Washington and Kyiv have not disclosed the exact number, but Ukraine was promised a total of 31tanks. Earlier, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary, Oleksiy Danilov, said that the first ten Abrams tanks would soon arrive in Ukraine.