Australia officially delivered the first batch of M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as part of a package of military aid promised in 2024 to support the Ukrainian resistance in the face of the Russian invasion.
The shipment includes more than half of the 49 tanks withdrawn from the service that had been promised. The remaining units should be shipped in the coming months. These vehicles were part of the Australian fleet acquired in 2007, recently replaced by more modern versions of the M1A2 Abrams.
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Delivery is part of a set of armored vehicles worth 245 million dollars, as part of an Australian commitment wider of $ 1.5 billion in favor of the defense of Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022.
Although the tanks were initially promised in October 2024, delivery was delayed due to the approval requirements of the United States and logistical challenges. The American authorities had expressed concerns about the complexity of the transfer and the abrams’ maintenance capacity on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Despite these obstacles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the ambassador in Canberra, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, publicly praised the arrival of vehicles.
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“Every day without these tanks on the battlefield means more lost lives,” said Myroshnychenko, stressing the urgency of this aid.
Ukraine officially made its request for the Abrams in February 2024. In August of the same year, Australia withdrew its last M1A1 from the service. Less than a year later, the first armored vehicles arrived in Ukraine.
In addition to the tanks, Australia will send in August 2025 an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force to support the humanitarian corridors in Europe. The country also continues to participate in the Kudu operation, which contributes to the formation of Ukrainian soldiers.
Ambassador Myroshnychenko has also reaffirmed the need for new equipment, such as Hawkei and Bushmaster vehicles. According to him, the majority of the 120 Bushmasters already sent were destroyed or damaged, and he renewed his call for the release of the Hawkei fleet.
Source : Defense Ministry of Australia | X @defenceaust | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of the AI and reread by the editorial team.
