Ukraine's Leopard triumph: Five Russian vehicles taken down
The Operational-Strategic Grouping of Forces "Khortytsia" has released a video of a battle that occurred in the Donetsk region. Using a Leopard 2A4 tank, Ukrainian forces destroyed at least five Russian armored vehicles.
The video and its description, shared on social media, indicate that the Leopard 2A4 belonged to the Ukrainian 33rd Mechanized Brigade. To counteract the enemy's significant numerical advantage, the Ukrainian tank crew not only aimed to make the most of their equipment but also cleverly used the terrain and nearby buildings for cover.
The Leopard 2A4 destroyed a column of Russian equipment
"The crew of the Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tank destroyed a Russian armored column. The enemy column was advancing along a dirt road near a forest strip when it came under fire from the Leopard's gun. Our tank maneuvered to provide direct fire while taking cover behind houses in the village, which the enemy was attempting to overrun," the Ukrainians wrote in their account.
The Russians were caught in an ambush and taken by surprise. As a result, their vehicles were taken out one by one, with some being hit multiple times.
Leopard 2A4 in Ukrainian service
Leopard 2A4s are among the most numerous NATO tanks in the Ukrainian army. These tanks were produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
While they have certain limitations and are outpaced by newer designs, in Ukraine, where older Soviet-era tanks still dominate the battlefield, the Leopard 2A4s perform very well. They have already been praised by many Ukrainian soldiers, including tankers from the 155th Mechanized Brigade.
German designers equipped them with a Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore gun with a caliber of 120 mm. Additionally, the Leopard 2A4 tanks feature the EMES 15 fire control system with thermal imaging, making them effective in combat and superior to most Soviet-era tanks in terms of offensive capabilities.
The auxiliary armament in these German tanks includes 7.62 mm machine guns and a smoke grenade launcher. Powered by engines with 1,500 horsepower, the Leopard 2A4s can reach a maximum speed of about 43 mph.
