The Ukrainian Army has withdrawn its M1A1 Abrams tanks from frontline positions due to concerns regarding their vulnerability to Russian strikes, with this decision taken following heavy losses incurred in combat since mid-February. Confirmation of the withdrawal was provided by unnamed American military sources cited by the AP news agency, one of whom observed that due to advances in Russian targeting capabilities: “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection.” Another source noted that “Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult” for Abrams tanks “to operate without detection or coming under attack.”
Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Christopher Grady provided further details on the Ukrainian Army’s decision, informing AP: “When you think about the way the fight has evolved, massed armour in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk… Now, there is a way to do it. We’ll work with our Ukrainian partners, and other partners on the ground, to help them think through how they might use that, in that kind of changed environment now, where everything is seen immediately.” Grady subsequently informed reporters that the tanks “have been moved from the front lines, and the U.S. will work with the Ukrainians to reset tactics.”
Abrams tanks were first confirmed to have been deployed for combat by drone footage released on February 23, which was followed three days later by the confirmed destruction of the first tank. Russian sources have also claimed that alongside the second kill, a tracked mine-clearing vehicle based on the Abrams chassis was also destroyed. At least five of the 31 tanks have been destroyed, with several more disabled. Footage released on March 6 confirming the destruction the third Ukrainian Army Abrams tank notably saw one destroyed with a shot from the main cannon of a Russian Army T-72B3 tank, rather than by missile or drone as with previous kills, which represented a valuable public relations victory for the Russian tank industry. Ukraine’s Western supplied tank classes have all taken losses within days of their first deployments to the frontlines, even when deployed in limited numbers, including the Leopard 2A6 that first saw combat in June 2023, and the Challenger 2 that first saw combat in September that year.
It was long speculated that Abrams tanks would quickly begin to take losses if deployed near the frontlines against Russian forces, with the M1A1 having demonstrated very limited survivability when deployed by the Iraqi Army in much lower intensity environments. Although Ukrainian industry did notably improve armour protection levels following their delivery and preceding their deployment, Ukrainian officials were among those to raise skepticism regarding the vehicles’ effectiveness. Nevertheless, the class’ seemingly underwhelming performance has been a significant public relations defeat for the Western-backed war effort, with Western sources having for months predicted that America’s prime main battle tank would make short work of Russian positions and overwhelmingly outperform Russian armour in combat. While defeating the Abrams on the frontlines, Russian forces have also captured and displayed a derivative of the Abrams specialised in mine- and explosives-clearing, the M1150 ABV Assault Breacher Vehicle, which is asset that is significantly rarer and more costly than the tanks themselves. Displayed alongside multiple captured Western armoured vehicles, a German supplied Leopard 2A6 tank captured in mid-April, the vehicle will provide extensive details on the Abrams’ armour protection levels, engines and other features.