Ukraine has already received the US Abrams tanks and are “being prepared for strengthening brigades” and will be used for the winter counteroffensive.
Ukraine has vowed to continue their counteroffensive throughout the long winter months despite the expected pause in fighting which will destroy morale for Russian soldiers needing the pause on the front.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine and thanked allies for the much needed assistance.
He said on Monday, “Good news from Minister [of Defense Rustem] Umerov. Abrams tanks are already in Ukraine, being prepared for strengthening our brigades.
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“I am grateful to the allies for the implementation of the agreements.
“We are seeking new contracts, expanding the geography of supplies.”
Leading Ukrainian Commander General Oleksandr Tarnavskyy has warned Russian forces that the winter months will not stop their plans to seize back control of their territory.
Tarnavskyy told CNN, “The weather can be a serious obstacle during an advance, but considering how we move forward, mostly without vehicles, I don’t think [the weather] will heavily influence the counteroffensive.”
He added, “Intense rains in the fall can make the ground in Ukraine soggy and make movement with heavy machinery, like tanks, more difficult, but Ukraine’s forces move in small groups, mostly on foot.”
In the interview he told CNN that Ukraine will not use large battalions and will rely on “assault squads, groups of 10 to 15 men” to take on Russian forces.
The US think tank the Institute for the Studies of War (ISW) said they continues “to assess that the Russian military does not have sufficient forces deployed to this sector of the front to completely man its defenses in depth and that Ukrainian forces should be able to operate through Russian field fortifications more rapidly if they are not properly manned.
