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Ukrainians detonate their own American-made M1A1 Abrams tank.
The shortage of armored vehicles is driving Ukrainian forces to increasingly desperate measures. In a recent incident, Ukrainian special forces destroyed one of the last remaining American M1 Abrams tanks in their arsenal.
Not only was the tank blown up, but the dramatic footage was also shared on social media, as reported by American sources.
The tank was obliterated during a Russian offensive in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on January 5. The offensive involved approximately 50 armored vehicles, likely from the 155th and 810th Marine Brigades and the 106th Airborne Division.
According to reports from the U.S., this Russian attack might have been aimed at disrupting a concurrent Ukrainian assault that began just a few kilometers east
Ukrainian drones struck a Russian assault column, but, judging by the video, it was a Ukrainian Abrams from the 47th Mechanized Brigade that was destroyed. The video clearly shows an FPV drone targeting a stationary tank on a snowy Kursk road.
Forbes suggests that the exact reason for the tank’s destruction remains unclear—either due to a mistake or intentionally, to prevent its capture by Russian forces.
In 2023, the U.S. supplied Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks. Over a year and a half of intense combat, the 47th Mechanized Brigade, the only Ukrainian unit equipped with these tanks, has reportedly lost at least 17, according to the Dutch OSINT project Oryx. As a result, the brigade may soon have too few tanks to form an effective fighting force.
At least seven American tanks, per Oryx statistics, have not been completely destroyed but were damaged. These were disabled by mines, drones, or missiles and then abandoned on the battlefield by Ukrainian forces.
When a damaged tank cannot be retrieved, often due to the danger involved, Ukrainian troops typically destroy it. This might explain the incident near Sudzha.
Another theory posits that the 47th Mechanized Brigade abandoned an American tank on December 11. Perhaps Ukrainian drone operators decided it was time to destroy the abandoned tank, which had remained in the field for almost a month.
In December, the 47th Mechanized Brigade was defending a frontline section east of Novoivanivka. Two Russian units, the 56th Airborne Regiment, and the 155th Marine Brigade, launched an offensive from Novoivanivka, forcing Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the neighboring village of Leonidovo, located 1.5 km east along a rural road.
In any case, Russian forces have identified the vulnerabilities of American tanks. A video published by the 47th Brigade last year showcased the complex defensive systems of the Abrams tanks, including American reactive armor on the sides, Ukrainian reactive armor on the turrets, anti-cumulative screens, and electronic warfare systems to counter drones.
However, reports indicate that Russian FPV drones, resistant to electronic warfare (transmitting and receiving data via fiber optics), have successfully targeted the engine compartments of Abrams tanks.
Thousands of Abrams tanks remain in American stockpiles. Additionally, Ukraine received the M1A1 Situational Awareness model, released in the 2000s, which is far from the most advanced version, and significantly inferior to the M1A2 Abrams.
Furthermore, the U.S. has declined to replenish Ukraine’s arsenal with new tanks, unlike the M2 Bradley IFVs provided to the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s assault battalions.
OSINT analysts from Oryx estimated that Ukraine lost at least 125 Bradleys during the war [half of which were completely destroyed on the battlefield].
After substantial Bradley losses in the Orekhov direction during the so-called “counteroffensive” in the summer of 2023, the U.S. supplied new Bradleys. The Pentagon, however, has no intention of replenishing the fleet of destroyed Abrams tanks.
Thus, for Ukraine, the loss of each Western tank is catastrophic. The Australian Army recently retired its older M1 Abrams in favor of newer versions. In October, Australia promised to transfer 49 of its existing M1A1-SA tanks to Ukraine, but the timeline remains unclear.
With fifty new Abrams, the 47th Mechanized Brigade could expand its existing tank battalion and potentially form a second battalion. If this does not happen, the surviving tanks will have to fight alone.
The M1A1 Situational Awareness [SA] is a modernized version of the M1A1 Abrams tank, developed in the early 2000s to enhance battlefield situational awareness and combat effectiveness.
This model includes several key updates compared to the original M1A1, focusing on digitization and improvements in communication and navigation systems.
One of the primary upgrades is the integration of Battlefield Management Systems [BMS], allowing the crew to receive and exchange real-time information with other units. This significantly enhances troop coordination and tactical operations efficiency.
The M1A1 SA is also equipped with an advanced second-generation thermal imaging system, offering improved visibility in night conditions and adverse weather. This system enables the crew to identify and engage targets at greater distances with higher accuracy compared to the original infrared system on the M1A1.
Additionally, the tank features a new fire control system that automatically adjusts targeting based on various parameters such as target movement and environmental conditions, greatly improving firing precision.
In terms of protection, the M1A1 SA includes upgraded reactive armor, providing a higher level of defense against anti-tank missiles and shaped charges. This additional armor increases the tank’s survivability in intense combat scenarios where modern anti-tank weapons are prevalent.
Moreover, the nuclear, biological, and chemical [NBC] protection system is enhanced, allowing the crew to operate in environments with increased risks from such threats.
When comparing the M1A1 SA to the M1A2 Abrams, the main differences lie in technological advancements and equipment. The M1A2 features even more advanced systems, including the Commander’s Independent Thermal Viewer [CITV], which allows the commander to detect and track targets independently of the gunner’s actions.
The M1A2 also has an improved digital architecture, enhancing system integration within the tank and providing better information processing.
Another significant difference is the fire control system. The M1A2 includes an updated version of this system, which is more sophisticated and accurate. Furthermore, the M1A2 comes with enhanced armor and active protection systems that offer additional layers of defense against modern threats, such as tandem warhead missiles.
While the M1A1 SA provides substantial upgrades over the base M1A1, the M1A2 Abrams represents the next generation with even more advanced technology and enhanced combat capability.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On February 21, 2022, Russia stated that its border facility was attacked by Ukrainian forces, resulting in the deaths of five Ukrainian fighters. However, Ukraine quickly dismissed these allegations, labeling them as ‘false flags’.
In a notable move on the same day, Russia announced it officially recognized the self-proclaimed areas of DPR and LPR. Interestingly, according to Russian President Putin, this recognition covered all the Ukrainian regions. Following this declaration, Putin sent a battalion of Russia’s military forces, tanks included, into these areas.
Fast forward to February 24, 2022, global headlines were dominated by a significant incident. Putin commanded a forceful military assault on Ukraine. Led by Russia’s impressive Armed Forces positioned at the Ukrainian border, this assault wasn’t spontaneous but a premeditated action. Despite the circumstances resembling a war, the Russian government refrains from using this term. They’d rather refer to it as a “special military operation”.
(Bulgarian military)