Following video affirmation on April 21 that Russian floor models had captured a Leopard 2A6 tank throughout clashes with Ukrainian forces, new footage and knowledge have supplied additional particulars on the operation and the way forward for the car. The Leopard 2A6 is by far probably the most succesful variant of the Leopard 2 supplied to Ukraine, and amongst European tank lessons is surpassed in its capabilities solely by a small variety of Leopard 2A7s that entered service from 2014. The car is thus thought of way more precious than the a lot older Leopard 2A4s beforehand captured. The captured tank is broadly thought of probably the most succesful within the Ukrainian stock, intently rivalled by half a dozen indigenous T-84 tanks, however surpassing the American M1A1 Abrams tanks which have been delivered with closely downgraded armour and fireplace controls, and the British Challenger 2 which used dated fireplace controls and notably previous thermal sights.
New footage launched by the Russian Ministry of Defence has proven the captured Leopard 2A6 within the within the disputed Avdiivka area, which is claimed by each Russian and Ukraine. “A army restore division delivered a German Leopard tank from the Avdeyevka [Avdiivka] entrance traces to a upkeep unit of Battlegroup Tsentr [Centre],” the ministry confirmed on April 23. “Upkeep employees will shortly substitute the tank’s crawler tracks and a few of its wiring parts, at which level the tank’s additional transportation can be settled,” the assertion added. The Defence Ministry highlighted that evacuation of the prized car had been carried out in two levels: the primary involving scouting out the encircling space for potential threats to the personnel and tools that may be used the evacuation, and the second involving the evacuation itself. Avdiivka has been a centre of preventing between Russian and Ukrainian forces since late 2023, with Ukrainian forces filmed making a disordered retreat from the strategically positioned city in February, shortly after which footage confirmed the primary deployment of newly equipped M1 Abrams tanks which rapidly took heavy losses in fight.
Footage launched by Russian state media has previously confirmed that Western army tools equipped to Ukraine has been studied intimately in Russia, with American Bradley Infantry Preventing Automobiles having fallen into Russian fingers in notably giant numbers typically with updated fireplace controls and safety techniques. The autos have been modernised within the U.S. shortly earlier than their supply to Ukraine. Whereas the intelligence worth of entry to the Leopard 2A4 was anticipated to be restricted, with the category lengthy since thought of old-fashioned regardless of being broadly depended by NATO members reminiscent of Spain, Turkey and Poland, the worth of entry to the Leopard 2A6 stays excessive. Russian forces have already gained appreciable intelligence on the tank class by expertise working in opposition to it, with the Leopard 2A6 being among the many very first Western-supplied autos filmed disabled and destroyed by Russian forces throughout mass offensives in opposition to Russian positions from early June 2023, when the category made its fight debut.
The discharge of recent particulars on the seize of the Leopard 2A6 comes as rising portions of footage have proven captured Western armour arriving within the Russian capital Moscow. These autos are anticipated to play a distinguished position within the upcoming Victory Day parade on Could 9 celebrating 79 years because the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany. Automobiles seen to this point have included Bradleys, German-made Marder infantry preventing autos, and American M113 armoured personnel carriers, in addition to the Ukrainian-made ‘Avocets’ armoured car. The presence of a Leopard 2, nevertheless, would have specific excessive symbolic worth, not solely resulting from its recognisability as certainly one of NATO’s two major fundamental battle tanks, but in addition due to the car’s heritage from the Nazi period. Russian sources have constantly highlighted parallels between the position of Leopard tanks in Ukrainian offensives, and the earlier offensives launched by German and allied European forces within the Nineteen Forties utilizing the category’ direct predecessors the Panther and Tiger. Native sources have speculated that the captured Western autos might later be displayed at Kubinka Tank Museum after being studied.
