Russia confiscates both Ukrainian Abrams tanks
(MENAFN) Russian troops have captured two US-made M1 Abrams tanks from Ukrainian forces near the border with Ukraine’s Sumy Region, Moscow’s Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.
The ministry stated that soldiers from the 22nd Motor Rifle Regiment carried out the recovery in a two-step process. First, reconnaissance teams cleared the area of drones and explosives; then a repair unit came in to tow the tanks back.
A video released by the Russian military shows a column approaching a stranded Abrams sitting on a country road. The vehicle seemed largely undamaged, prompting some Russian sources to suggest it may have been abandoned due to a lack of fuel or mechanical issues.
The Defense Ministry added that, alongside the two Abrams, Russian soldiers also retrieved two International MaxxPro vehicles, a Stryker infantry vehicle, and a Challenger recovery vehicle from the battlefield.
Moscow said it has made advances into the Sumy Region and captured several settlements there. The push comes after President Vladimir Putin announced in late May that a “buffer zone” should be created to protect Russian territory following a large-scale Ukrainian attack into Kursk and ongoing strikes against civilians.
The US pledged 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in 2023, and last month Australia announced it would provide 49 more. Nonetheless, the $10 million vehicles have frequently been vulnerable to attacks by drones and challenging terrain. According to the Oryx group, Ukraine has already lost at least 22 Abrams tanks. Moscow previously put a captured Abrams on display in the Russian capital in May 2024 alongside a collection of other Western equipment.
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