The 425th Assault Regiment Skala, a Ukrainian unit deployed in the Pokrovsk region, has received donated M1 Abrams tanks, becoming the second unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to operate these vehicles, after the 47th Mechanized Brigade Magura.
The arrival of the tanks comes amid heavy fighting in the eastern part of the country, where Ukraine faces the Russian invasion.
The vehicles received are Australian M1A1 Abrams, slightly modified compared to the standard tanks. They feature non-depleted uranium armor, an AIM SA electronic system with digital fire control, thermal vision, enhanced communications, and satellite navigation. Additionally, the engines have been adapted to use diesel instead of aviation kerosene, simplifying logistics for the Ukrainian army.
It is not yet confirmed whether the tanks have been effectively deployed on the battlefield, as videos released by the regiment use archive footage from other units. Nevertheless, the presence of Abrams adds to other armored vehicles already in operation in the region, such as modernized Leopard 1A5 tanks, M2 Bradley fighting vehicles, M113 carriers, and rare wheeled M1117s, strengthening Ukrainian defense at strategic points.
The Abrams tanks are also part of Ukraine’s ongoing effort to modernize its armored forces, which include M109 self-propelled howitzers and motorcycle companies capable of rapidly taking positions during assault operations.
The combination of new armored vehicles and modern equipment aims to increase Ukraine’s resilience in Pokrovsk and other sectors of the eastern country.
Source: Militarnyi / The War Zone | Photo: X @front_ukrainian | This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team
❗️🇺🇦Ukrainian military personnel from the 425th Assault Regiment “Skala” report that they have received M1 Abrams(probably transferred by 🇦🇺Australia) tanks pic.twitter.com/igoHCrOD2T
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) August 28, 2025
