Dmitry Peskov, a key figure in the Kremlin, has commented that the introduction of the United States’ large-sized Abrams tanks will not bring about any significant changes in the battlefield in Ukraine. He stated this to journalists in Moscow on Tuesday.
He said that Ukraine should expect the same fate for the newly provided Abrams tanks as the Western-supplied weapons that have been used in the conflict.
On Monday, Ukraine received its first shipment of Abrams tanks, as announced by the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky. President Joe Biden of the United States had promised Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks back in January.
Regarding Russia’s response to this, Peskov admitted that the Abrams tank is a formidable weapon but pointed out that, like other Western-supplied military equipment, it would also burn easily. He suggested that the Abrams tank will face the same fate as other Western-made weapons, implying that they are susceptible to being destroyed.
In July of last year, shortly after Russia initiated a major offensive against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that Western-made tanks were quickly being destroyed in the conflict. He argued that tanks manufactured in the former Soviet Union outperformed Western-made tanks, especially in terms of durability. Peskov’s recent comments seem to echo this sentiment.
Overall, Peskov’s remarks indicate that Russia is downplaying the impact of the introduction of Abrams tanks into the conflict in Ukraine and suggesting that they may not significantly alter the balance on the battlefield.
