Pentagon: Ukrainian soldiers will start training on Abrams tanks next week

Ukrainian defenders will begin training on American Abrams tanks as early as next week.

Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder told this in a comment to Voice of America.

US Defense Department representative reported that the training of Ukrainian tankers will begin "within the next week or so." Journalists confirmed from sources in the Pentagon that about 250 Ukrainian soldiers would arrive in Germany and train on the American Abrams tanks. 

Abrams tanks for Ukraine

As Rubryka reported, on May 15, the US Department of Defense confirmed that 31 Abrams tanks arrived in Germany to train Ukrainian crews.

The USA allocated 31 Abrams tanks for Ukraine as part of the tank coalition. Initially, the Pentagon announced that it would order new tanks for the Ukrainian  Armed Forces. However, they later decided to send M1A1 Abrams tanks, modified for the Ukrainian military. General Pat Ryded said that sending already repaired tanks equipped with modern weapons systems would allow the equipment to get to the battlefield faster.

The Pentagon chief said that Abrams, which will undergo modification, will arrive in Ukraine in early autumn. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stressed that these tanks would not take part in the counteroffensive, as Ukrainian tankers are only preparing to begin training. The training is expected to last about ten weeks.