For the first time Russian troops have hauled a disabled US-made M1 Abrams tank away from the front line of the Ukraine conflict, the beginning of a journey that will eventually see the vehicle displayed at a trophy show in Moscow, officials have said.
In an interview with RIA Novosti on Monday, Aleksandr Savchuk, who heads the press office of the Russian ‘Center’ group, said the tank had been evacuated from the Avdeevka sector of the front. The strategic Donbass city was captured by Russian troops in February when the Ukrainian retreat from the area became a disorganized rout, according to Moscow.
Savchuk added that the tank had been towed to the rear and would soon be displayed at a major trophy show in Moscow, which will also feature dozens of other Western-made heavy vehicles captured during the conflict.
RIA Novosti, along with several Russian Telegram channels covering the hostilities, shared clips showing the tank being towed down a road at an undisclosed location. The Abrams appears to be in bad condition, with many of its tracks and wheels missing, its hull charred, and crew compartment burned out. It is unclear how it was destroyed.
Russian Telegram channels noted that the Abrams was removed from the frontline town of Berdychi after Russian troops advanced in the area. Russian military expert Boris Rozhin reported that there are at least four other disabled Abrams and seven or eight disabled US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles near Berdychi.
The US has supplied Ukraine with a total of 31 M1 Abrams tanks, all of which arrived in the country last October. Russia reported the destruction of the first US-supplied tank in late February near Avdeevka, reportedly by a kamikaze drone.
Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that Moscow had taken out at least five Abrams, with three more “moderately damaged.” The paper noted that in most cases, the tanks, which cost an estimated $10 million each, were taken out by drones costing $500.
Due to the constant threat of Russian drone strikes, Ukraine pulled back the remaining Abrams from the front line, AP reported on Friday, citing two unnamed US officials.