The first North American Abrams battle tanks have arrived in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday, welcoming the “good news.”
“Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to strengthen our brigades,” Zelensky wrote on the Telegram social network.
The delivery of these battle tanks to Kiev was announced last week by US President Joe Biden during Zelensky’s visit to the White House, where the Ukrainian head of state went to ask for additional support for the counteroffensive that is trying to liberate the occupied territories. Kyiv, Russia.
“Next week, the first American Abrams tanks will be delivered to Ukraine,” Biden assured last Thursday in the presence of the Ukrainian president, who was making his second visit to Washington since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Biden also announced a new military aid package for Kyiv, which the Pentagon estimates is worth the equivalent of about 300 million euros.
The United States has promised Ukraine a total of 31 Abrams tanks equipped with 120mm depleted uranium rounds, which are highly effective against armored vehicles but also controversial due to their toxic risks to the military and the public.