Ukraine lost its three German Leopard 2 tanks

The Ukrainian army has lost three Leopard 2 tanks in consecutive strikes in recent days. According to intelligence analyst Andrew Perpetua, videos appearing on the Internet seem to confirm the destruction of three Leopard 2A4s in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine – Forbes.

Ukraine’s counter-offensive was launched in early June this year in several areas in the Zaporizhzhia and neighbouring Donetsk Oblasts.

Kyiv currently has 40 German-made Leopard 2A4s and 21 Leopard 2A6s, several dozen Leopard 1A5s, 10 Strv 122s from Sweden, 14 Challenger 2s from the UK, and 31 US-made M-1A1s. The country is also awaiting further deliveries of Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks.

In four months of heavy fighting, the Ukrainians have lost just five Leopard 2A4s, three Leopard 2A6s and one Challenger 2, accounting for 9 of the 150 tanks supplied by Ukraine’s allies.

The Army’s 47^th Mechanised Brigade put its Leopard 2A6 tanks at unnecessary risk in early June during a direct assault through a Russian minefield south of Mala Tokmachka, north of Melitopol.

Then, the 47^th and other brigades with Western tanks, including the 33^rd Mechanised Brigade with its Leopard 2A4; the Challenger 2 with the 82^nd Air Assault Division, and the 21^st Mechanised Brigade with the Strv 122, all deployed their tanks at night and assigned them to shell Russian positions from several miles away.

Careful use, and the hard work of repair bases in Poland and Germany, allowed the Ukrainian brigades to remain almost fully operational throughout the summer.

Some attribute the increased loss of three Leopard 2A4s to Russia’s increased use of drones. Recently, the 33^rd Mechanised Brigade, the only Ukrainian brigade using Leopard 2A4s, seems to be fighting the heaviest battles in the Melitopol area.

The 47^th Mechanised Division had previously led a counter-offensive in this direction. The Ukrainian General Staff recently recalled the brigade from the front for rest and reset, and moved some of its battalions east to reinforce defensive efforts around Avdiivka.

The 33^rd may have moved forward and the 47^th moved back and eastwards. However, it is believed that the more attacks the 33^rd Mechanised Brigade made, the more tanks it would lose.

The activity of the enemy has not decreased for three months.