The troops are offered bonuses for each piece of Western equipment they destroy
FILE PHOTO: A US M1 Abrams tank © Sputnik
Russian soldiers have apparently recorded a video in which one of them mockingly thanks US President Joe Biden for supplying Kiev with Abrams tanks and giving the troops the opportunity to earn some extra cash for destroying them. This comes amid reports of several US-made heavy armor pieces being destroyed in less than a week.
A short clip that surfaced on social media features an apparent Russian serviceman in full military gear. “We, Russian warriors express our sincere gratitude to you for the Abrams tanks that the US is supplying to Ukraine,” he says, addressing Biden in English.
The man goes on to explain that Russian troops are offered bonuses for each piece of Western equipment they destroy, and asks Biden to send more Abrams tanks, as those that have arrived in Ukraine “are very few” and the troops have to spend a lot of time hunting them down.
The US announced the delivery of 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in January 2023, but they did not arrive until the autumn, and were absent from the front line until February of this year.
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The soldier added that there are not enough American tanks in Ukraine for every Russian serviceman to receive their bonuses, and offered Biden a 10% commission for each tank they destroy. He also suggested that Biden should get a Russian MIR debit card to make it easier for the soldiers to send him the money.
The video ends with the serviceman mockingly praising Biden as “a true patriot and the best US president,” while expressing hope for “a mutually beneficial partnership.” “Together, we will win!” he adds.
Earlier on Sunday, it was reported that an Abrams tank and a US-made mine-clearance vehicle based on an Abrams chassis were destroyed in Donbass. Last week, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the destruction of the first US-made heavy armor in the Ukraine conflict.