The powerful American weapon that is helping Ukraine in the front line

The M2 Bradley infantry fighting tanks, provided by the US government to Kyiv (in the picture), are an essential part of the defensive tactical core that Ukraine has adopted against Russia in one of the most intense points of the front line.

The powerful tanks, designed to be highly maneuverable and fast enough to keep up with heavy armor, has proven specifically useful in the Ukrainian-defended and garrisoned city of Avdiivka.

The attack, that started on October 10, 2023, was the first wave of an offensive that Moscow has been trying to carry out in the area for months.

Avdiivka is a major rail and road hub in the region, making it strategically important for both Kyiv and Moscow, The New York Times explains. Capturing the town would allow Russia's military to advance much further into Donetsk Oblast.

However, Avdiivka's value is not only military, but also political, as the city has been on the front line of the conflict with Moscow since pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk sought the separation of this Oblast from Ukraine in 2014.

The city's strategic value may be the reason why Moscow has sacrificed so many lives trying to capture Avdiivka. According to declassified US intelligence, Russia has suffered the loss of 13,000 lives in the fight for the region.

The area where fighting is heaviest is the region known as Stepove, north of the town of Avdiivka. There, Forbes' David Axe reports, Russian troops have faced unforgiving conditions battling the 47th Brigade.

Armed with German Leopard 2 tanks and American M2 Bradley tanks, Ukraine's 47th Brigade has used the edges of the forests along the region's railway line to isolate Stepove from the rest of the battlefield, a war analyst says.

"As Russian troops and their vehicles move out of Krasnohorivka, crossing open country, Ukrainian artillery and drones mow down their soldiers," contemporary war analyst and US Air Force aviator Donald Hill, said as quoted by Forbes.

Donald Hill explained that once they had weakened the Russian attack, the Ukrainian army would launch a counterattack. These counterattacks involved the M2 Bradleys of the 47th Brigade, which bombarded the tree line in the forests with cannon fire.

Attacks were also carried out on the battlefield by small assault teams using these infantry fighting vehicles. The aim was to clear the area of any straggler Russian soldiers. After this, the troops and armoured vehicles returned to the front line.

"Constantly pushing the Russians back helps Ukraine hold the offensive positions it currently holds," Donald Hill said. "This tactic makes it much easier for the 47th Brigade to use the Bradley's firepower."

Featuring a 25-millimeter cannon and aluminum-welded armor plating, the M2 Bradley was designed by American engineers to counter Russian BMP-1s, according to Military Today, and has proven invaluable in Kyiv's fight against Russia.

"The density of the shrapnel is insane, as is the density of the firepower... targeting takes seconds, just seconds," one of the soldiers assigned to the M2 Bradley tanks explained in a video published in Business Insider.

"At night, this machine is priceless, it's invaluable… You capture targets much faster, [and] the visibility is better than during the day," the soldier continued, highlighting the M2 Bradley's nighttime capabilities.

Image: Wiki Commons / Sgt. Eric Garland

Donald Hill explained that the M2 Bradley can easily damage Russian armor and has done so during the battles to take Avdiivka.

"A poorly supported infantry, let alone one without cover, is an easy target for armored vehicles. In November, north of Adviivka, the 47th Brigade's combat-experienced M2 crews wreaked havoc," wrote Forbes' David Axe in an article.

Ukraine has received the 190 M2 Bradleys promised by the US, and according to Axe, the Ukrainians have found the perfect use for them. "The Russians keep sending men and vehicles that will be torn apart by the M2 crews."

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