US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced today the planned sale of 250 Abrams tanks to Poland, as Washington moves to strengthen the defense of a key ally in Eastern Europe amid a growing threat of war between neighboring Ukraine and Russia.
Austin made the announcement during a visit to Warsaw, where Polish leaders have been alerted to the deployment of thousands of Russian troops in neighboring Belarus as part of a mass rally of Russian troops around Ukraine, which NATO says Moscow is targeting. an invasion. Russia denies any plans to invade.
“Some of these forces are 200 miles from the Polish border,” Austin said.
“If Russia invades Ukraine further, Poland could see tens of thousands of displaced Ukrainians and others reach its borders, trying to save themselves and their families from the scourge of war.”
The sale of Abrams tanks to Poland is another indication of the deepening and expanding defense relationship with the United States. It follows the deployment of nearly 5,000 additional US troops to Poland as well as additional fighter jets as part of Washington’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
The Abrams M1A1 tanks have a crew of four and have a hand-loaded cannon that can open fire on enemy armored vehicles, even low-flying aircraft, according to General Dynamics.
“It is the most modern form of the Abrams and will give Poland a very sophisticated tank capability,” Austin told a news conference.
“It will also enhance our interoperability with the Polish armed forces, enhancing the credibility of our combined deterrent efforts and those of our other NATO allies.”
Austin’s visit comes as the United States completes the deployment of another 4,700 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, doubling the size of its military presence in the Eastern European country.
President Joe Biden has ruled out the development of US forces for war in Ukraine against Russia. But a development like the one in Poland could bring US and Russian troops very close, which experts say is still a risk as the conflict could easily, and unintentionally, spread across borders.
The U.S. military has sent F-15 fighter jets to Poland’s Lask air base, providing additional air surveillance capabilities, officials said.
Poland’s southeastern border is near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, where the United States has moved its embassy amid growing fears of a Russian invasion.
U.S. officials have said U.S. troops in Poland could help U.S. citizens flee the country if Russia invades Ukraine and assist Poland in a possible influx of refugees. US officials believe millions of Ukrainians could become refugees and internally displaced in the event of a full-scale conflict.
One to two million Ukrainians already live in Poland.
Source: Capital
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