Russian forces have destroyed 26 of 31 units provided to Kiev, according to the outlet
The Russian military has reportedly destroyed the majority of US-supplied M1 Abrams tanks delivered to Ukraine, with only five of them remaining operational, RIA Novosti has reported, citing its own analysis.
In January 2023, then US President Joe Biden announced the transfer of 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with delivery of the armor completed in September that same year. Since then, Moscow has consistently targeted the vehicles and has shared numerous video clips purporting to show the destruction or capture of the US tanks. In May 2024, one of the seized vehicles was displayed at the Army-2024 military expo in Moscow, along with other Western-supplied hardware.
According to RIA’s estimates, the Russian military has destroyed a total of 26 Abrams tanks since February 2024, leaving Ukraine’s forces with just five out of 31 of the American vehicles. The first Abrams was reportedly knocked out on February 26 by the Russian ‘Center’ military group near Avdeevka.
RIA’s latest estimates follow a report from The New York Times in March, which cited Ukrainian officials confirming that 19 of the 31 Abrams tanks had already been destroyed or damaged. The newspaper added that the remaining vehicles have been withdrawn from frontline service due to their vulnerability to Russian drone and artillery attacks.
Oryx, a Dutch analyst group which tracks visually confirmed equipment losses, has also claimed that as of late 2024, Ukraine had lost at least 22 Abrams tanks.
Last week, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that two Ukrainian Abrams tanks had been seized during an operation in Ukraine’s Sumy Region. The Defense Ministry released a video showing Russian troops recovering the vehicles, which appeared to be intact. The tanks were reportedly towed to the rear by the 22nd Motor Rifle Regiment after reconnaissance teams secured the area.
After Biden’s initial announcement of Abrams deliveries to Ukraine, multiple US media outlets hailed the tanks as a “game changer” for Kiev, particularly ahead of its failed counteroffensive in 2023. However, by September of that year, Ukraine’s top military spy Kirill Budanov admitted that the tanks were unlikely to survive on the battlefield for long. Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later also acknowledged that the Abrams was “not useful” for Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly criticized Western arms deliveries to Kiev, saying they only prolong hostilities and lead to more bloodshed without affecting the inevitable outcome.
