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In state media reports, Ukrainian tank gunners and drivers were filmed praising the US-supplied Abrams tanks and boasting that they were easy to learn to operate.
“When I first saw what was inside the T-64, I thought it would take me a month to get the hang of it,” a gunner identified as Koka of Ukraine’s 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade said in the video. Uploaded by Army Television on Tuesday.
“But it’s literally very fast. You can master it in a week,” Koka said.
Inside the Abrams M1A1 used by the crew, Koka gave the camera a tour of its internal systems. “There’s nothing too complicated here,” he told Army TV.
This military news agency is run by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The report was released after Pentagon officials spoke. Associated Press Kiev reportedly withdrew Abrams tanks from the front lines due to concerns that they were vulnerable to drones.
Army TV pushed back on this assessment, writing in the caption, “Despite the rumors, no one took these vehicles away from the front lines.”
It is noteworthy that, unlike most YouTube videos of Army TV, the title and caption of this report were in English, not Ukrainian.
The video showed the crew of the 47th Tank praising the Abrams tank and insisting that heavy armor still exists on the front lines.
The Pentagon Press Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside of normal business hours.
Tank driver Alexei said Abrams’ pedals and controls made the tank “like a scooter.”
“Is it as easy to drive as a scooter?” asked Evhen Nazarenko, a reporter for Army Television.
“Yes,” Alexei said with a smile.
The footage showed a crew member driving Nazarenko in the Abrams, but it is unclear when or where it was filmed.
Alexei and Koka’s commander Dmytro told Army TV that the Abrams’ armor was effective against Russian anti-tank missiles like the Kornet.
However, they wanted dynamic plating to protect the sides and turret, and Alexei said the turret could be breached.
Regarding the turret’s armor, he said, “It is said to be the strongest.” “You’d think the ‘Hand of Zeus’ wouldn’t pierce it, but it doesn’t. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.”
Ukraine was promised 31 Abrams tanks by the United States in January 2023, with the first units arriving in September after crews trained in Germany for several months. U.S. aid to Kyiv was subsequently stalled by political resistance from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill until a $61 billion aid package was passed last month.
Weapons, ammunition and military equipment from US stockpiles is expected to at least supplement 25 billion of the funds.
The Abrams has defeated Soviet armored units in the past, but several aircraft deployed to Ukraine have suffered setbacks. At least five of his tanks were lost in the battle, and three more of his were damaged. The New York Times reported.
In late April, the Russian military displayed an abandoned Abrams M1A1 at an exhibition called “Trophies of the Russian Army,” which displays NATO equipment seized during the war.