Drowned tank Leopard: German tanks in Ukraine began to show their old sides

The first German Leopard tanks handed over to Ukraine were spotted in the Kherson direction. This was reported by several news agencies at once. The Armed Forces of Ukraine began to use German tanks to shell Russian checkpoints. As an officer of the Sokol volunteer battalion told RIA Novosti, they had already drowned one of the “cats” in a swamp.

The head of the Center for the Study of Military and Political Conflicts, military expert Andrei Klintsevich believes that Western tanks are not the main threat of the announced offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In a conversation with MK, the expert spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of the combat vehicles transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“The fact is that the Leopards have a lot of modifications,” he said. – Basically, Ukraine will be supplied with Leopard-1 tanks – this is a very ancient vehicle with very weak armor and weak weapons. Most likely, they will be modernized a little, but this will not add much power to them.

These machines are a kind of analogue of the Soviet T-62 tanks. The main supplies from Poland and a number of other countries will be Leopard-2A4 tanks. This car is easy to identify by its square turret – like the Nazi tanks in films about the Great Patriotic War.

He also has very weak armor, with almost any of our means of destruction, he will break through both the frontal armor and the side. It has already installed a modern 120-mm gun. But I cannot say that these tanks will pose any particular threat.

Naturally, like any weapon, they are dangerous, but from the point of view of direct confrontation with our modern tanks, this is not a serious opponent.

Germany will hand over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine the penultimate version of its tanks – the Leopard-2A6. It is also easy to distinguish in appearance, it has additional armor installed on the turret, similar to a mutually sharpened knife. This machine has already reinforced frontal armor and installed serious electronics. It is possible to break through it only from the side, because the tower and the front hemisphere are quite well protected.

– In what areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will these tanks be used?

– It must be understood that not much equipment will be delivered. Its capture by our armed forces, gaining access to armor technology and other technical design secrets for the Germans is a serious danger.

Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine use “Leopards” in the Kherson direction, that is, across the river. Our entire line of contact in this sector of the front passes through the Dnieper, which is difficult to force: the right bank occupied by the Armed Forces of Ukraine is higher than the left, where we are. Most likely, the Armed Forces of Ukraine pulled up one of the “Leopards” to work with it at direct fire, as an assault gun, from across the river.

Here, the factor of our possible capture of this machine is already minimal. Of course, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will use these tanks in the main direction of their new attack as part of the offensive, which is widely announced. I am sure that the Leopards, as well as other Western tanks, will go in the second echelon. And especially the heavy British Challengers, they will generally be somewhere only on the outskirts of Kyiv, without leaving the asphalt. Because engineering mining equipment, anti-tank ditches, “dragon teeth” gouges will stop any equipment, including Leopards and Abrams. So, the probability of losing it is very high.

That is, if the advanced assault units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit a minefield, blew up the tracks, and the crew got scared and ran away, then the tank remains practically combat-ready. That is, it can be captured in a technically sound condition, since it does not present any special problems to restore the tracks. Therefore, the old Soviet proven tanks, which Poland gave them in large numbers, or those that the Czechs stole when they upgraded the T-72 tanks for Morocco, and so on, will let the APU forward.

– It turns out that Western tanks will not be able to play any significant role in the offensive?

– No. The danger for us is the air defense systems transferred to Ukraine, which can shoot down our aircraft. There is also a huge amount of equipment that contains the BGM TOW-2 anti-tank complex with a powerful warhead. Massive salvo fire systems and high-precision artillery are dangerous. It will be very difficult to see and get everything. And the tanks that will go forward, although they are a formidable weapon, but, I repeat, we have such powerful modern anti-tank systems with a long range that they will be destroyed even on the approaches.