49 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which Australia was supposed to transfer to Ukraine, still remain in country - ABC
The decommissioned tanks that the Australian government promised to give to Ukraine last year have not yet left the country, partly due to the lack of permission from the United States.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the ABC TV channel.
It is noted that more than six months have passed since the announcement of the provision of M1A1 Abrams tanks as part of Australia's $245 million military aid package, but the combat vehicles are still awaiting final permission to be shipped abroad. This was initially due to the fact that US President Donald Trump temporarily froze military aid to Ukraine. Now, according to informed sources, the process has faced new uncertainty, as the formal approval that the United States must give before transferring M1A1 tanks to another country has not yet been received.
"We are beginning to doubt whether the Ukrainians need these tanks at all - the Abrams' roof is its weakest point, and this is a drone war. In addition, a peace agreement may soon be signed and it will be extremely inconvenient to have tanks in the middle of the ocean on ships. In addition, Australia lacks the right level of officers to escort these cargoes at sea," said one defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
At the same time, a representative of the Australian Ministry of Defence commented to the TV channel that Australia still plans to deliver the M1A1 Abrams in 2025:
"The Department of Defence continues to work with the Ukrainian government in accordance with the agreed arrangements for the promised equipment, including delivery and support."
As a reminder, the Australian government announced the transfer of 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine with a total value of about AUD245 million ($164 million) in October 2024.
