Report: Ukraine Pulls US-Provided Abrams Tanks From Frontlines

Facts

• Ukraine has pulled its remaining M1A1 Abrams tanks from the frontlines of the conflict with Russia, according to two US officials who spoke with the Associated Press on Thursday.¹
• The US agreed to send Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks last year — each worth roughly $10M. According to the report, five tanks have since been destroyed. It cited advances in Russian drone warfare as the reason behind sidelining the US-provided gear for the time being, suggesting tanks were currently susceptible to Russian attacks.¹
• While US Pres. Joe Biden this week signed into law a bill that will ultimately provide Ukraine with $61B of weaponry — $1B of which will be unlocked immediately — US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said it will take time for the weapons to reach the frontlines and that Russia may still make more gains.²
• According to the latest analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US military think tank that tracks battlefield progress in the war, Russia is doing just that. Near the Donetsk city of Avdiivka, captured by Russian troops earlier this year, the ISW said that Russian forces had advanced 3.1 miles (5 km) since April 18 and warned that more advances could be coming.³
• Although Russian forces have not advanced near the Dontesk city of Chasiv Yar in the last 24 hours, the ISW further warned that it was where Russia was likely to focus its efforts, stating that an 'offensive operation to seize Chasiv Yar offers Russian forces the most immediate prospects for operationally significant advances.'³
• Meanwhile, with Ukraine still waiting for new weapons and ammunition to arrive, both it and Russia reported intense clashes across the entirety of the frontlines over the past day — though both gave differing accounts as to the extent of damage and the success of their relative missions.⁴

Sources: ¹Associated Press (a), ²Associated Press (b), ³Understandingwar and ⁴Ukrainska Pravda.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by POLITICO. In addition to the $1B of military aid that's already been unlocked, Washington will soon announce the biggest shipment of arms to Ukraine so far — exceeding that of any previous package in the two-year conflict. It will provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense missiles, artillery ammunition, as well as drones and counter-drone weapons, among other items needed to overthrow Russia's invasion.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. When you look at the fine print of what the US pledges to do, it becomes clear that Washington is only pledging to send money to American arms companies. The US admits that these contracts will take time to fulfil and that it could be years before Ukraine sees any of the weapons. These moves by the US will only escalate the conflict and do nothing to help the Ukrainian people.

Predictions