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US shipped entire batch of 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, Army official says

According to the US Army Europe and Africa Command Spokesman, the 200 Ukrainian servicemen that underwent training in using Abrams tanks in Germany have returned to Ukraine

MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. The US shipped the entire promised batch of 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, US Army Europe and Africa Command Spokesman Colonel Martin O’Donnell said in an interview for Ukrainian media.

Speaking in the interview, O’Donnel noted that the US initially promised to deliver 31 repaired Abrams tanks to Ukraine. He confirmed that these 31 tanks are currently in Ukraine and are ready for use.

According to the spokesman, the 200 Ukrainian servicemen that underwent training in using Abrams tanks in Germany have returned to Ukraine. In addition, munitions and spare parts for these tanks have also been shipped to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, O’Donnell stated that the Abrams tanks shipped to Kiev are now Ukrainian, not American, and it is up to Ukraine to decide what, when and where to do with them.

In late February, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the US would ship 109 Bradley armored combat vehicles, 31 Abrams tanks and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. Last week, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on national security, defense and intelligence Roman Kostenko told Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, that Ukraine has received about 60 German-made Leopard tanks and 12 UK-made Challenger tanks. According to The New York Times, Kiev requested at least 300 Western tanks for its counteroffensive.

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Ukraine crisis United States

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