(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Russian tank experts at Uralvagonzavod have conducted a “dissection” of a Leopard 2A6 tank captured from Ukraine and concluded that there is “nothing special” about the pride of Western armored forces.
According to a representative of Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s largest tank and armored vehicle manufacturer, who spoke to the Sputnik news agency, no “extraordinary” technology was found in the Leopard 2A6 tank they examined.
Experts from the company specifically inspected the German-made Leopard 2A6 tank, which, according to foreign media, had been supplied to Ukraine from the German Army’s reserves, as the tank was not intended for export.
There was speculation that sensitive technology might be present in the Leopard 2A6 tank analyzed by Uralvagonzavod experts, but no advanced or sensitive technology was discovered.
“The disassembly and analysis by our engineers of Western equipment (Leopard 2A6 tanks) captured during the special military operation revealed no extraordinary features in terms of design,” said the Uralvagonzavod representative.
Recent media reports indicated that Ukraine has lost approximately 40 Leopard tanks since the start of Russia’s special military operation in February 2022.
However, Russian media and military sources claim that the destruction of German-made Leopard tanks donated to Ukraine far exceeds the 40 units reported by American media.
Russian forces have reportedly applied more effective tactics and strategies to destroy Leopard tanks since the first day they were deployed, achieving significant success against the German-manufactured vehicles.
Specifically, Russian troops have destroyed numerous Leopard 2A6 tanks in the Svatovsk region. One Leopard 2A6 tank was even captured and later displayed at Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, symbolizing Russia’s operational achievements against Western-supplied military hardware.
A report from last November stated that a Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tank captured by Russian forces had been incorporated into a Russian armored unit and used on the battlefield.
Videos and images showing Russian soldiers operating the captured German-made Leopard 2A4 tank from Ukrainian forces have also circulated on social media platforms.
Earlier media reports highlighted that Russian forces not only destroyed Ukrainian Leopard tanks but also captured some in good condition.
Some of these Leopard tanks, still in working order, were transported from the battlefield to Moscow for further examination by Russian weapons experts.
The German-made Leopard tanks are vulnerable not only to anti-tank missile attacks but also to drone strikes, particularly from FPV (First Person View) drones widely used by both sides in the conflict.
To mitigate the heavy losses of Leopard tanks in Ukraine’s armed forces, additional defense systems have been installed to protect them from drone attacks.
It is estimated that these drone defense systems cost around US$20,000 (RM87,000), putting considerable strain on Ukraine’s financial resources.
As of October this year, Ukraine had reportedly received 192 Leopard tanks from several European countries, including both Leopard 1 variants and the more modern Leopard 2 models.
Among the foreign tanks supplied to Ukraine, the Leopard series constitutes the largest portion compared to other tanks such as the American-made Abrams and the British-made Challenger. — DSA