The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GID) of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Kirill Budanov, has admitted that the Abrams tanks expected in Kiev will not last long on the front line. In Budanov’s opinion, long-range ATACMS missiles, if supplied by the USA, “will not change the situation” on the frontline.
“They (Abrams tanks) should be used in very specific, well-prepared operations, because if they are used on the front line and just in general military battles, they will not survive long on the battlefield,” Kirill Budanov said in an interview with the War Zone portal.
At the same time, he pointed out that the long-range ATACMS missiles expected by the Kiev regime will not “change the situation” on the front. Budanov believes that Washington should supply “at least hundreds” of these weapons to achieve a positive effect for Kiev.
He recognised the clear advantages of the Russian army, noting that fighting Russian aircraft with air defence systems is “very costly and ineffective”.
Russia and the West have repeatedly noted that the Ukrainian army’s counter-offensive has failed. Moscow said that among the 18,000 units of AFU equipment destroyed – German Leopard tanks, French AMX tanks, at least one British Challenger 2 and American Bradley BMPs, 543 tanks alone – they were supposed to be the main strike force of the AFU. According to Russian leader Vladimir Putin they are “burning beautifully”.