Ukraine Parks $10 Million Western Tanks as Cheap Drones Upend Battlefield Strategy
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 25
Ukraine Parks $10 Million Western Tanks as Cheap Drones Upend Battlefield Strategy
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 25
Summary
$10 million Western tanks sent to Ukraine now mostly sit hidden in forests and out of combat, despite once being among Kyiv’s most coveted weapons.
Cheap drones have made armored vehicles highly vulnerable, with former top general Oleksandr Syrskyi saying Ukraine is making virtually no use of armor and must find ways to blunt drones’ advantage.
That debate over how to restore tanks’ battlefield role fed a broader strategy clash that led to Syrskyi’s removal from command last month.
Ukraine is still maintaining the tanks and training crews, underscoring that Kyiv sees them as potentially useful again if tactics or counter-drone measures improve.