Leopard 2 tanks are among the most advanced and powerful military vehicles, and NATO countries have provided dozens of them to help Ukraine deal with the Russian military attack.
What is the truth about the tank destruction video?
The Russian Defense Ministry released a black-and-white video, claiming it was “evidence” of the recent downing of 8 Leopard tanks in Ukraine. In the video, footage can be seen of shadows of vehicles, before a helicopter fires a missile which hits it, causing an explosion, while a voice speaking in Russian says, “It’s a direct hit.” After the video was posted, many military experts and Twitter users questioned its authenticity. According to analysts, the video clip released by the Russian authorities does not concern “Leopard 2” tanks, but agricultural equipment. The military analysis account, “Tendar” on Twitter, posted the video clip along with photos of the agricultural equipment it said was destroyed, commenting that “even semi-professionals can clearly see that this is harvesting machines and agricultural workshops”. Another Twitter account specializing in weapons called “Ukraine Webbone Tracker”, stated that “the vehicle that was hit by the Russian missile has 4 wheels, while the Leopard 2 tanks have a bar that rotates like a bulldozer”. Other elements that seem odd in the video are that these alleged tanks are out in the open and stationary, which strategically doesn’t make sense, as “Leopard 2” tanks are usually camouflaged and hidden behind trees. In the long version of the video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense, one of the pilots is heard saying: “Let’s try this on those”, which could mean that it was only a test military. Even major pro-Kremlin channels spotted the discrepancy and laughed it off: “It’s embarrassing,” a pro-Russian military blogger said on Telegram. “We’re at a loss for words. Sorry.” The head of Russia’s private Wagner military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who clashed with senior Russian military officials, derided the ministry’s claim that the Ukrainian counterattack had “stopped”. “Judging by the Defense Ministry’s announcement, we have already defeated all European armies a long time ago!” Prigozhin said. “The war can end now because Russia has no one left to fight.”
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