In a move that has been hailed as "historic" by Ukraine's President Voldymyr Zelensky, the United States has expedited the delivery of 31 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, months ahead of the originally planned schedule.
The tanks, according to The New York Times, have arrived in the nick of time to bolster Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia, their aggressive neighbor.
However, the exact number of tanks that have been dispatched to Ukraine remains undisclosed, with administration officials choosing to remain anonymous and refraining from confirming the figures.
General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraines military intelligence, has advised against deploying the tanks directly to the frontlines. He emphasized that the tanks must be utilized "in a very tailored way, for very specific, well-crafted operations" to avoid their potential destruction by Russian forces.
"They will not live very long on the battlefield. They need to be used in those breakthrough operations, but very well prepared, Budanov warned.
In addition to the tank reinforcements, U.S. Special Forces have been stationed in Kyiv to train Ukrainian forces on the operation of the incoming military equipment and weaponry.
The U.S.'s support for Ukraine extends beyond the provision of military hardware. As reported by Foreign Policy, the U.S. is financing the establishment of new munitions production facilities in Ukraine. Over 2,000 agreements have been signed between Ukrainian corporations and U.S. defense companies to initiate future collaboration efforts in Ukraine.
President Zelensky has lauded the deal, stating, "We are preparing to create a new defense ecosystem with the United States to produce weapons to strengthen further freedom and protect life together." Zelensky's vision is to enhance Ukraine's domestic weapons production capabilities by reforming its arms industry. He also expressed his aspiration for Ukraine to host a 20-nation arms production forum, with Ukrainian munitions manufacturing taking center stage.
The decision to send Abrams Tanks to Ukraine was authorized by President Biden in January, despite his administration's previous assertion that such a move could trigger a global conflict. In March 2022, Biden had stated, "The idea that we're going to send in offensive equipment and have planes and tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews, just understand, that's called World War 3, okay?"
In May 2022, Biden clarified to reporters on the south lawn of the White House, "We're not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike Russia." Despite this, the U.S. has supplied Ukraine with over 30 HIMARS rockets (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) and has been aiding Ukraine by providing coordinates for targets. The U.S. is now contemplating the dispatch of long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems to assist Ukraine's fight.
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