American Abrams for Kyiv. "They will soon enter Ukraine"

- The promised American M1 Abrams tanks will soon arrive in Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday. The Americans are to donate 31 of these machines to Kyiv. On the same day, the Danish Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced the planned transfer of several dozen more tanks to Ukraine.

In January, the US Department of Defense announced that it would send 31 M1A2 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Now Lloyd Austin has announced that the machines are ready for battle.

- I am pleased to announce that M1 Abrams tanks, previously provided by the United States, will soon enter Ukraine, announced the US Secretary of Defense during the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contracting Group.

https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1704049236050850062

The 31 vehicles that Ukraine will receive are M1A2, the oldest version used by the American army. However, the tanks have been modernized to increase their combat capabilities.

Denmark will donate more tanks

On Tuesday, Lund Polusen, Minister of Defense of Denmark, said that Ukraine will receive another 45 tanks – 30 Leopard 1 and 15 modernized T-72EA. Earlier, Copenhagen, in cooperation with Germany and the Netherlands, sent 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine.

According to Poulsen, the T-72EA tanks are to be prepared together with other countries that have access to them and can purchase them.

- The details are still being worked out – he emphasized.

The enormous importance of air defense

- Air defense is currently of great importance in the war with Russia – said the US Secretary of Defense at the conference opening the 15th meeting of the contact group on Ukraine. It was organized at the US air base in Ramstein, Germany.

He pointed out that Russian attacks on ports and infrastructure related to grain production are deepening the world food crisis.

- At least 280,000 tons of grain have been destroyed so far. This is an amount that would be enough to feed as many as 10.5 million people in a year, he noted.

As Austin added, in the face of these attacks, it is crucial to provide Ukraine with possible assistance in defending its airspace. He also called for the transfer of 155 mm ammunition to Ukraine.

Billions to help Ukraine

Austin estimated that Ukraine's partners provided over $76 billion in direct defense assistance to this country.

- Since the last meeting in Ramstein in July, the United States has provided additional aid packages to Ukraine worth over two billion dollars. These include "urgently needed air defense, ammunition and mine clearing equipment," he said.

The American secretary also thanked, among others, Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands for leading a coalition within the group.

- These coalitions deal with specific competences in the field of Leopard tanks, F-16 training and information technologies – explained the head of the Pentagon.