Ukraine received Abrams tanks to reinforce counteroffensive

Moscow/Kiev, Sep 25 (EFE).- Ukraine announced Monday the arrival of the first American M1 Abrams tanks, just as the Ukrainian Army hurries the last weeks before the arrival of bad weather to advance south of the Zaporiyia region, the scene of the bloodiest fighting on the entire front.

“The Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades,” Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenski wrote on Telegram, expressing his thanks to the US “for fulfilling the agreements.”

This Monday, The New York Times reported, citing two Pentagon sources, that the tanks had arrived “several months earlier than originally planned and just in time for Kyiv to use them for the counteroffensive.”

US President Joe Biden last January pledged 31 Abrams to Ukraine.

US and Canadian military aid Ukraine awaits the arrival of new “aid packages,” Zelenski noted, taking stock of his recent visit to the US and Canada.

“From the United States, artillery, the necessary ammunition, ammunition for HIMARS, anti-aircraft missiles, additional air defense systems, tactical vehicles,” he said, noting especially the agreement for joint arms production with the robust US defense industry.

He explained that Ukraine obtained a commitment from Canada for “long-term defense assistance of $500 million,” particularly medevac vehicles.

“Something like this was a fantasy. But it will be a reality,” he added.

Heavy fighting in Zaporiyia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are keeping up the pressure in the southern Zaporiyia region, aiming to cut off the Russian land corridor to the annexed Crimean peninsula, particularly in Verbove, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The Russian Ministry of Defense assured of having repelled two Ukrainian attacks around this locality and annihilated enemy troops and military equipment in the neighboring localities of Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, and Robotine.

Exchange of attacks on rear-guards To weaken the opponent on the frontline, both sides again attacked enemy rear-guards: Russia attacked with missiles and drones against Odesa’s Black Sea port infrastructure. At the same time, Ukraine harassed Crimea and the Russian south with drones.

The Russian Army launched a total of 19 kamikaze drones and 12 missiles, two of them supersonic, against the port of Odesa, most of which were intercepted by Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses, which could not prevent some from hitting the port infrastructure, where two employees were killed.

At the Odesa port passenger terminal, a landmark hotel in the city, which was closed but where Ukrainian service members were staying, was also severely damaged, according to Russia.

Russian Defense Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported that the Russian Armed Forces “launched a massive strike with high-precision and long-range weapons and assault drones against temporary sites of foreign mercenaries and preparation centers of sabotage groups of the Ukrainian Army.”

According to the military representative, “all targets were destroyed.”

This Monday, the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) assured that a Ukrainian drone hit a building of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in the city of Kursk.

The local governor, Roman Starovoit, limited himself to acknowledging that the Ukrainian drone, one of the two launched today against the region, hit “an administrative building” without giving further details.

These were joined by six other drones launched against Crimea and Bryansk, all of which were shot down, according to Russia. EFE

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