This is according to the investigative journalism group Oryx, which has been using open-source data to track materiel losses by both Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict.
According to Oryx, 16 of the approximately 109 Bradley IFVs the U.S. sent to Ukraine have been lost. Five of these have been totally destroyed, while another 11 have either been abandoned or damaged to the point of being unusable.
Moving on tracks rather than wheels, Bradley IFVs are intended to provide armies with more firepower on the battlefield while also allowing for the transportation of up to 10 troops at a time.
Bradleys can also come equipped with BGM-71 TOW anti-armor missiles, which have been described as "tank killers" that Ukrainian troops had hoped to use against enemy armor as a part of "mechanized combined arms" teams.
Military analysts claim that Bradleys are much stronger than the counterpart IFVs in use in the Russian Armed Forces, notably the BMP-1 and BMP-2, and the destruction of a Bradley is less likely to result in the loss of the troops being transported within its hold.
The footage Oryx used to reach its number of 16 Bradleys destroyed or otherwise abandoned appears to date from between Friday to Sunday, June 9 to 11, which is consistent with assessments made by other experts regarding the start of Ukraine's armored push into territory occupied by Russia.
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If confirmed by other analysts, the losses would amount to nearly 15 percent of the Bradleys the U.S. has committed to Ukraine, many of which have been in use on the battlefield since April.
Other reports also said that Ukrainian forces have already lost around half of its specially adapted German-made Leopard 2R mine-clearing vehicles donated by Finland. These were intended to pave the way through Russian minefields and help make a breach that other military vehicles can then move through.
"[Ukraine is] burning through high-tech military gear at a rate never intended," warned military and strategic studies analyst Allan Orr. "[Western equipment] can't replenish at this rate – they simply can't be made fast enough."
Retired U.S. Army Gen. James Marks suggested that Ukraine may not know how to use the Bradleys.
"A single piece of equipment like the Bradleys is wonderful, but it needs to be used in conjunction with all those other enablers," he said.
US to keep supplying Ukraine with Bradley IFVs, other equipment in latest military aid package
Kyiv is still calling on its Western allies for more military aid in its fight against Russia – and countries like the U.S. are only too happy to oblige. (Related: National security experts call for peace and end of arms shipments to Ukraine.)
Just as Ukraine announced the beginning of its counteroffensive, the U.S. announced a new $325 million military aid package that will include 15 more Bradley IFVs from America's current stock of about 4,000.
The package will also include 10 Stryker armored personnel carriers, secure communications equipment, additional ammunition for Ukrainian National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, artillery rounds for 155 mm Howitzers, additional handheld Stinger anti-aircraft and Javelin anti-tank weapons munitions as well as over 22 million rounds of ammunition for small arms.
This latest package is the 40th such aid package President Joe Biden is rushing to send to Ukraine using the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows him to transfer military equipment and services from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval during so-called emergencies.
Following the completion of this military aid package, a spokesperson from the Department of State confirmed that this means the U.S. would have already provided approximately $40 billion in taxpayer-funded military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in late February 2022.
"The United States continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, whose enduring courage and solidarity inspires the world," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.
"Russia started this unprovoked war against Ukraine. Russia could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks against Ukraine's cities and people," Blinken added. "Until Russia does so, the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine, for as long as it takes."
Learn more about Ukraine's conflict with Russia at WWIII.news.
Watch this clip of a Ukrainian Bradley IFV being destroyed by a Russian Ka-52 helicopter from a range of over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Ukraine launches biggest attack in months as much-hyped counteroffensive begins.
Russia repels attacks on territory orchestrated by what it calls "Ukrainian terrorist formations."
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