Ukraine withdrew Abrams tanks from the front because of Russian drones / Five tanks have already been lost

The Ukrainian military has withdrawn US Abrams M1A1 tanks from the front because of Russian reconnaissance and attack drones, which are now infesting the airspace above the battlefield. The tanks proved to be too vulnerable to drones, writes the Associated Press (AP) agency, taken over by the BBC.

Two US military officials spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity about the withdrawal of the Abrams from the front by the Ukrainians, and the vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview with the AP that the US and Ukrainian militaries are now thinking together how to use tanks in the new situation.

The United States transferred 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January 2023. At that time, it was planned that these and other tanks transferred by allies would help the Ukrainian army break through Russian defense lines and recapture the occupied territories.

But since then, the situation has changed a lot: the air above the front line is full of drones. “There is no open space where you can simply drive through without fear of being spotted,” a military official explained to reporters on Thursday.

According to him, five of the 31 Abrams have already been lost.

“In terms of how technology has changed, massive armor in an environment saturated with unmanned aerial vehicles could be at risk,” Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the AP.

“We will work with our Ukrainian partners and other partners on the ground and help them think about how to apply this technology in such a changed environment where everything is immediately visible,” Admiral Grady promised.