The first German Leopard tanks handed over to Ukraine are spotted heading towards Kherson. This was reported by several news agencies at once. The Ukrainian armed forces began using German tanks to bombard Russian checkpoints. As an officer of the Sokol volunteer battalion said to RIA Novostithey 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 Ukrainian Armed Forces. In a conversation with The Eastern Herald, the expert talked about the strengths and weaknesses of the combat vehicles transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The thing is, Leopards have a lot of modifications,” he said. – Basically, Ukraine will receive Leopard-1 tanks – this is a very old vehicle with very weak armor and weak weapons. Most likely, they will be modernized a bit, 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 the Great Patriotic War movies.
It also has very weak armor, with almost all of our means of destruction it will pierce both frontal and side armor. It has already installed a modern 120 mm gun. But I cannot say that these tanks will pose a 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 Ukrainian Armed Forces the penultimate version of its tanks – the Leopard-2A6. It is also easily distinguishable 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 pierce it only from the side, since 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 little material will be delivered. Its capture by our armed forces, access to armor technology and other technical design secrets for the Germans is a serious danger.
Now the Ukrainian armed forces use “leopards” in the direction of Kherson, 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 Ukrainian Armed Forces is higher than the left, where we are. Most likely, the armed forces fired one of the “leopards” to work with a direct shot, like 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 in the widely announced offensive. I’m sure the Leopards, as well as other Western tanks, will go to the second echelon. And especially the heavy British Challengers, they will usually be somewhere only on the outskirts of Kiev, without leaving the asphalt. Because Engineering Mining Equipment, Anti-Tank Ditches, “Dragon’s Teeth” gouges will stop any equipment, including Leopards and Abrams. Thus, the probability of losing it is very high.
That is, if the forward assault units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit a minefield, blow up the tracks, and the crew is scared and flees, the tank remains practically ready for combat. That is, it can be captured in a technically sound state, since it does not present any particular problems in restoring the tracks. Therefore, the proven old Soviet tanks, which Poland gave them in large numbers, or those that the Czechs stole when upgrading T-72 tanks for Morocco, etc., will let the APU move 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 planes. There is also a huge amount of equipment containing the BGM TOW-2 anti-tank complex with a powerful warhead. Massive salvo firing systems and high-precision artillery are dangerous. It will be very difficult to see everything and get everything. And the tanks that will go forward, although they are a formidable weapon, but, I repeat, we have modern anti-tank systems so powerful at long ranges that they will be destroyed even at approaches.
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