'It's creating forces that break through entrenched Russian positions and allow them to exploit superior firepower and mobility to roll up the Russian forces.” 'It's about restoring the ability for operational maneuver by Ukrainian armed forces,' he said. Reporter's Notebook: 'Front Line Іs on Fire,' Donbas Residents SayĪndrew Metrick, a fellow in the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, told VOA that tanks could help remedy that problem. In the areas they still hold, though, Russian forces have built strong defensive positions meant to limit Ukraine's ability to maneuver around them. With a few exceptions, Russian forces have been stopped from advancing further into Ukraine and have been driven back to a band of territory along the eastern side of the country.

In the late summer and early fall, Ukraine was able to mount a series of sweeping counterattacks, outmaneuvering Russian forces and forcing them back to the east. Ukraine's need for tanks has become more apparent in the past several months, as the war has moved into a markedly different phase. Importantly, they have storage for ammunition that is separated from the crew compartment, a safety feature that many Russian tanks lack and which has contributed to the large number of invading tanks that Ukrainian forces have been able to destroy or disable. It is also somewhat heavier than the Leopard 2 and has more advanced armor.īoth tanks are very heavily armored, providing excellent protection for crew members. The M1 Abrams is slightly newer, and carries similar weapons systems. It also carries two 7.62 mm machine guns, one mounted coaxially with the main weapon and another able to be angled upward, to engage aircraft. Its main gun fires extremely powerful 120 millimeter shells. It comes in multiple variants, but in general, the tank is about 10 meters long and 3.75 meters wide, and weighs well over 60 metric tons.

The Leopard 2 first came into service in 1979 but has been upgraded many times since then. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jeffrey J. 21, during exercise Trident Juncture 2018. FILE - An M1 Abrams traverses a bridge in Hell, Norway, Oct.

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