Pentagon Confirms FRG-Supplied Abrams Tanks Not Meant for Combat Operations

Washington, May 15 – Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said that the 31 Abrams tanks provided by the United States to Germany are needed only to train Ukrainian forces, and are not planned to be used in combat conditions.

The Pentagon spokesman added that the tanks transferred to Ukraine are to be modernized and prepared for Kiev’s needs.

Russia has previously sent a memorandum to NATO countries over the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has indicated that any shipment containing weapons to Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that NATO countries were “playing with fire” by supplying arms to Ukraine. The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov, noted that the injection of weapons into Ukraine from the West does not contribute to the success of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative impact. Lavrov stated that the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, “including not only the supply of weapons, but also the training of personnel … on the territory of Great Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries.”