U.S. announces Abrams tanks for Poland as Russia threat mounts
Send a link to a friend
[February 18, 2022]
By Phil Stewart
WARSAW (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin announced on Friday the planned sale of 250 Abrams tanks to
Poland, as Washington moves to strengthen the defences of a key eastern
European ally amid a mounting threat of war between neighboring Ukraine
and Russia.
Austin was speaking during a trip to Warsaw, where Polish leaders have
been alarmed by the deployment of thousands of Russian forces in
neighbouring Belarus, part of a huge Russian buildup around Ukraine that
NATO says positions Moscow for an invasion. President Vladimir Putin
denies any plan to invade.
"Some of those forces (are) within 200 miles (321 km) of the Polish
border," Austin said.
"If Russia further invades Ukraine, Poland could see tens of thousands
of displaced Ukrainians and others flowing across its border, trying to
save themselves and their families from the scourge of war."
The sale of Abrams tanks to Poland, which is also home to a future U.S.
missile defense site, is another sign of a deep and growing defence
relationship with the United States. It follows the deployment of nearly
5,000 additional U.S. troops to Poland as well as additional fighter
aircraft, as part of Washington's response to the Ukraine crisis.
'A STRONGER NATO'
The Abrams battle tank carries a crew of four personnel and has a
manually loaded cannon that can fire against enemy personnel armored
vehicles and even low-flying aircraft, according to its manufacturer,
General Dynamics.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Feb/18/images/ads/current/debbiesfloral_lda_021022.png)
"What Mr. Putin did not want was a stronger NATO on his flank, and
that's exactly what he has today," Austin told a news conference.
"It will also strengthen our interoperability with the Polish armed
forces, boosting the credibility of our combined deterrence efforts and
those of our other NATO Allies."
Kyiv and the rebels have blamed each other for escalating tensions after
artillery and mortar attacks this week, prompting fears that Russia,
which has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, could
get involved.
For a second day, Austin dismissed Russian claims that it was
withdrawing troops from the areas around Ukraine.
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/021822PIX/news_q67.jpg)
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Polish Defence Minister
Mariusz Blaszczak attend a welcoming ceremony before their meeting
in Warsaw, Poland February 18, 2022. Slawomir Kaminski/Agencja
Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Feb/18/images/ads/current/2021_lda_Businessdirectory.png) Poland is among the NATO members
that are most hawkish in confronting what it sees as Russia's
revisionist ambitions in Eastern Europe.
Birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement that played a key
role in bringing down Communism in central Europe, Poland is
particularly sensitive to what it sees as threats of Russian
expansionism, and both conservative and liberal governments have
been steadfast in their support for Kyiv.
"Poland knows first-hand the steep cost paid by victims of
aggression from larger neighbors, and it has made valuable
contributions to assist Ukraine in building up its defense
capabilities," Austin said, noting training exercises and its offer
of ammunition and portable air defense weapons to Ukraine.
Washington is also finalising its deployment of an additional 4,700
troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, more than doubling the U.S.
troop presence in Poland.
President Joe Biden has ruled out deploying U.S. forces to fight in
Ukraine against Russia. But deployments like the ones to Poland
could put U.S. and Russian troops in close proximity, which experts
say is still a risk given that conflict can easily, and
inadvertently, spill over borders.
The U.S. military has dispatched F-15 fighter jets to Lask Air Base,
Poland, offering additional capability for air policing, officials
say.
Poland's southeastern border is close to the western Ukrainian city
of Lviv, where the United States relocated its embassy due to the
mounting fears of a Russian invasion.
U.S. officials have said U.S. troops in Poland could help American
citizens who may flee to the country if Russia invades as well as
assist Warsaw with a possible influx of refugees. U.S. officials
believe millions of Ukrainians may become refugees and internally
displaced in a full-scale conflict.
Poland is already home to between one and two million Ukrainians.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Nick Macfie and Gareth Jones)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |