Why Ukraine has not yet used the Abrams tanks sent by the US

Analysts told Business Insider that Ukraine will have difficulty using Abrams tanks effectively due to worsening weather and Russia's construction of fortified defenses. Therefore, experts concluded that the M1A2 Abrams tanks are unlikely to appear until next spring.

“Ukraine will probably keep them in reserve,” said Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Mr. Cancian analyzed that in winter, the mobilization of small groups of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles that the US had previously sent and Abrams tanks would be "ineffective" and "difficult to support" logistically.

Winters in Ukraine often bring mud, rain, frost, and snow, making it difficult to travel. Business Insider reported that these weather conditions prevented a breakthrough last winter.

In Mr. Cancian's view, Ukrainian forces will "wait for the right moment," possibly in the spring, when a new offensive could be launched to use the Abrams.

Kateryna Stepanenko, an expert at the US-based Institute for the Study of War, said her colleagues had also noticed that the Abrams had not yet engaged in combat. She echoed Cancian’s assessment that rain and mud were hampering the use of heavy military equipment.

Sergej Sumlenny, founder of the European Resilience Initiative in Germany, said the US missed the timing of sending the Abrams tanks. He said the delay in sending the tanks gave the Russian army enough time to build up formidable defenses. According to Sergej Sumlenny, Russia’s miles of trenches and minefields left little room for Western tanks to show their capabilities on the battlefield.

Mr Sumlenny added that the 31 Abrams tanks the US sent were too few to play a “decisive” role in the conflict.

So far, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has not responded to Business Insider's questions regarding this issue.