The sidelining of the Abrams reflects evolving battlefield tactics where drone use has made it virtually impossible for them to maneuver without detection.
Russia said it withdrew its forces from the island as a “goodwill gesture.” Ukraine said the Russians fled following a barrage of artillery and missiles.
Heavy fighting raged Thursday at the besieged steel plant in Mariupol, as Russian forces attempted to finish off the city’s last-ditch defenders and complete the capture of the strategically vital port.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged city of Mariupol but to block it “so that not even a fly comes through.”