WAR MACHINE
Heartstopping footage shows US-made £8million M1 Abrams tank blasting Russians on Ukraine frontline for first time
Watch the moment Ukrainian troops use the tanks for the first time
THIS is the heart-stopping moment a US-made M1 Abrams tank blasts Russians on Ukraine's frontline for the first time.
As the war marks its two-year anniversary, Kyiv continues its desperate bid to stop Putin's brutal invasion of its territory.
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The US has sent 31 advanced M1 Abrams tanks worth more than £300 million as part of the Western support for Ukraine.
The mammoth tank is widely considered as the most powerful ground weapon in the US arsenal.
The 31 US-made tanks were delivered to Ukraine last autumn - but haven't been used in combat until a month ago.
A new video shows the 47th Mechanised Brigade driving the M1 through the snowy winter conditions.
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In another clip, the Abrams tanks can be seen shelling Russian positions to stop them from advancing.
This is the first video to capture the use of the dangerous tanks on the frontline - demonstrating their lethal power.
The M1 Abrams is able to close in on enemy targets and shoot with precision on the move.
It is equipped with a 120mm smoothbore tank gun and two machine guns - one on top of the turret that rotates 360 degrees in nine seconds.
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Apart from stability and accuracy, the tank has superior crew protection with a heavy Chobham armour - ceramic and steel plate developed in Britain.
It can shield the vehicle from small-arms fire, shell fragments, and even direct hits.
Russian tanks EXPLODE as Ukrainian forces repel enemy advances
The mammoth tank also has a nuclear-chemical-biological warfare protection system.
M1 Abrams has safe ammunition storage to avoid explosions, boasts agility and speed over uneven terrain, and has effective ventilation.
The Abrams has been in service since 1980s - initially developed to fight the Soviets.
It was used in battle many times over the years with the Pentagon purchasing more than 7,000 of the tanks.
It was deployed in Afghanistan in 2011 where it suffered only one wounded in action despite withstanding 19 strikes.
But it has its share of drawbacks - the engine's enormous fuel consumption, limited range and complex maintenance.
The footage of its incredible use was shared by the 47th Brigade on their Telegram channel.
The caption read: "And while the Russian occupiers are trying to figure out where the Abrams tanks are, tankers of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade have been dissecting the Russian invaders and their equipment for more than a month"
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine thanked its Western allies for supplying the weaponry.
In a Facebook post, they wrote: "Thanks to the partners from the United States for these weapons and in general for supporting Ukraine in the war for independence."
This comes a year after president Joe Biden announced the US will be sending the battle tanks to help Ukrainian fighters "improve their ability to manoeuvre in open terrain".
But the tanks had a long way before they could be delivered and used on the frontline.
The Pentagon was long hesitant to send the M1 as it posed logistical issues and the tank requires complex maintenance.
The US move came a day after reluctant Germany folded to international pressure to provide their military assistance to the war-torn Ukraine.
Biden told reporters at the time: "Germany didn't force me to change my mind, we wanted to make sure we were all together."
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Bowing to the pleas and calls from President Zelensky, German chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks to Ukraine.
But the move sparked fury among Russian propagandists who issued a chilling nuclear warning to Germany.
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