US sends fleet of tanks to Ukraine

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View online January 25, 2023 1/ US vows 'long term commitment' to Ukraine as it sends in fleet of Abrams tanks and tow vehicles to Kyiv   The United States will provide 31 new M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of America's efforts to help bolster Ukraine's defence against the nearly year-old war being waged by Russia.   The 31 tanks will be accompanied by eight M88 recovery vehicles — heavily armoured tow trucks used to rescue tanks that have been disabled or damaged in battle — and will be enough to equip an entire Ukrainian tank battalion with the American-made beasts.   Speaking from the Roosevelt Room at the White House on Wednesday, Mr Biden said he was taking the step of providing Ukraine with tanks at the recommendation of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.   "With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for counteroffensives to liberate their land. They need to counter Russia's tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term. They need to prove their ability to maneuver in open terrain. They need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long-term," he said. 2/ Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men who left her on the road are charged with rape Students, mothers and the university's president are demanding justice following the alleged rape and murder of the LSU student 3/ He's a corporate executive worth $150m. Can Jeff Zients keep progressives happy and Biden White House on track? Jeff Zients made a fortune in the private sector before leading the Covid response. His next assignment: White House chief of staff 4/ Arrest made in mysterious murder of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, police say more suspects likely Father of four was ambushed while driving home after dropping his children at his ex-wife's house 5/ The 2023 'green comet' is now visible from Earth for the first time in 50,000 years Recently discovered comet was last seen during the Ice Age Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our welcome offer when you join today. The Big Question Which are the best and worst US airlines? Following a tremendously challenging year in air travel that saw rafts of flight cancellations and industry issues, The Wall Street Journal has released its annual ranking of the major US airlines.   The list includes one surprise: Southwest Airlines, whose holiday meltdown stranded thousands of passengers at airports across the country over Christmas, finished in third place, trailing only perennially strong entrants Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines.   Jet Blue finished in last place out of the nine airlines ranked, trailing budget airlines Frontier and Spirit. United Airlines, Allegiant Air and American Airlines finished in fourth through sixth. The top three airlines were unchanged from last year's ranking, in which Delta also triumphed. Frontier fell two places, with Spirit rising one. Here's a breakdown of the findings. Read the full story > Watch/ Moment huge wave wipes out spectators at surf contest in Hawaii NUMBER OF THE DAY 12 –  The age of Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who has been nominated for a 'worst actress' gong at the Razzies for her performance in the Stephen King adaptation Firestarter, a choice that has provoked an angry reaction online and been branded 'repulsive and wrong'. QUOTE OF THE DAY "The climbing community kind of deals with this a lot, but it's still a tragedy for all of us."  – Gordon Janow, director of Alpine Ascents International, pays tribute to missing British actor Julian Sands in conversation with The Independent as the prospects of his being found grow dimmer by the day. We noticed that you might not be registered By registering, you will enjoy limited access to Independent Premium articles, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists REGISTER FOR FREE Other stories you might like A New York City killer slaughtered eight people on a cycle path. 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