Two-thirds of US-supplied tanks to Ukraine lost in war: Report

Ukraine has lost two-thirds of its Abrams M1 main battle tanks, supplied by the United States within six months, according to a military magazine.

According to a report run by Military Watch Magazine on Thursday, “close to 20” out of 31 tanks provided to Kiev by Washington have already been destroyed by Russian forces.

The report said that based on videos uploaded by Russian Telegram channels the latest Abrams M1 tank was blown up in Russia’s Kursk Region.

The Abrams M1 in question had “a significantly improved” explosive reactive armor, as Ukraine took steps to increase the protection of the US-made tanks, “particularly after they took heavy losses in their first engagements with Russian forces in February-April 2024,” the report read.

Despite the improved armor, the US tanks still could not withstand a projectile from a handheld anti-tank missile system, likely a Kornet, with which it had reportedly been hit, it added.

Before this, the report said, the Ukrainian force operating the Abrams M1 tanks had complained about “technical issues, including the vulnerability of electronic components to condensation, as well as their vulnerability to Russian fire.”

Despite Kiev’s expectations from its allies for replacements, “there have been few indications that the US could make further deliveries of Abrams tanks,” it noted.

According to the report, the US Abrams, the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2, and the Soviet-era T-80 tanks are “the scarcest tank classes in Ukrainian service.”

Zelensky says Ukraine receives US-made F-16 fighter jets

Zelensky has announced that his forces finally received F-16 fighter jets promised to the former Soviet republic by US-led Western countries.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier this month that the former Soviet republic had finally received F-16 fighter jets promised to Kiev by the US.

However, this was later denied by the Americans saying the US is not planning to transfer F-16 jets to Ukraine.

US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall had confirmed the absence of plans to supply F-16 fighters to Kiev, according to several reports.

Kendall said in an interview with the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper that the US does not plan to transfer its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the near future.

“I know nothing about things like that. But the idea is not ruled out,” Kendall said.

He noted that Ukraine’s immediate needs will be covered by current aid from NATO countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands.

Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk Region on August 6 has been described as its biggest attack on Russian soil since the proxy war started in February 2022.

Kiev has lost more than 5,550 troops and hundreds of units of military equipment, including 71 tanks since Ukraine began invading Kursk, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

The US-led Western countries have been flooding the Ukrainian armed forces with an unending supply of Western weapons and ammunition since Russia launched its military campaign in Donbas.

Nonetheless, the former Soviet republic has failed to gain significant military objectives in the proxy war against Russia with Kiev constantly whining about a shortage of weapons and ammunition.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir