Russia displays Abrams tanks, $4 million mine-clearing vehicles in Moscow

The Russian military moved M1 Abrams tanks and M1150 mine-clearing vehicles captured on the battlefield in Ukraine to an exhibition in Victory Park.

"The M1 Abrams main battle tank and the M1150 ABV mine-clearing vehicle made in the US have been transferred to the exhibition of war trophies at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow. Both vehicles were captured by Russian servicemen during the offensive operation in the village of Berdychi in the Avdeevka direction," the Russian Defense Ministry said today.

Video released by the Russian military shows trucks carrying M1A1SAs and M1150s to Victory Park, home to museums dedicated to Russia's 1812 and 1945 patriotic wars. The mine-clearing vehicles are relatively intact, while the Abrams appears to be badly burned and damaged.

Russia displays Abrams tanks, $4 million mine-clearing vehicles in Moscow — Abrams tanks and M1150 mine-clearing vehicles were moved to Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow in the early morning of May 1. Video: *Russian Ministry of Defense*

The exhibition, which features dozens of tanks, armored vehicles and vehicles donated by the West to Ukraine, opened on May 1 and will run until the end of the month. Each piece of equipment will be displayed with a panel describing its technical and tactical features, as well as the location and circumstances under which it was captured by Russian soldiers, organizers said.

Some of the equipment may then be displayed at the Kubinka Tank Museum in Patriot Park, outside Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the exhibition would be of great interest to Russians, because "they should see defeated equipment".

The US agreed in January 2023 to deliver 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine after a long-standing request from Kiev. President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration argued that the $10 million tanks would be a key weapon in helping Ukraine breach Russia's defenses.

Ukraine has lost five Abrams tanks since the beginning of the year, mostly on the Avdeevka front, although they were deployed on a limited basis and did not participate in NATO’s theoretical joint operations. The threat from Russian drones has forced Ukraine to withdraw its M1A1 Abrams tanks from the front lines, said US Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Christopher Grady.

Abrams tanks on display at an exhibition on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow on May 1. Photo: RIA Novosti — Abrams tanks on display at an exhibition on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow on May 1. Photo: *RIA Novosti*

The M1150 mine-clearing vehicle costs about $4 million and uses the chassis of an M1 Abrams tank, equipped with a British mine plow and a detonator cord launcher to remotely clear mines. Western experts consider it one of the best protected and most versatile vehicles on the Ukrainian battlefield.

It is unclear how many M1150s Kiev has, as the Pentagon has never publicly disclosed any aid to the Ukrainian military. Open source data shows that Kiev has lost at least two M1150s to mines near the city of Avdeevka.

Vu Anh (According to RIA Novosti, AP )

Source link