Russia critiques Leopard tanks as Ukrainians highlight strengths
Russian agency TASS reported on the completion of analyses of the Leopard 2A6, which was captured by Putin's forces fighting in Ukraine. The German tank was assessed as significantly worse than Russian machines. However, both the opinions of Western analysts and Ukrainian soldiers, as well as the course of the war, contradict such Russian propaganda.
The Leopard 2A6, from the early 21st century, is one of the newer NATO tanks that Western allies have provided to Ukraine. It is also considered one of the more valuable spoils that the Russians have managed to bring home (alongside, for example, Abrams tanks or Swedish CV90s). Russians subject such equipment to analyses, hoping to gain new information about the technologies used in NATO.
Russians evaluated the German tank
"Analyses of the German Leopard 2A6 tank trophy captured from the Ukrainian army indicate that it is worse than Russian mass-produced armoured vehicles T-72B3M, T-80BVM, and T-90M, which are better adapted to modern warfare," the TASS statement said, citing experts from Rostec Corporation.
The course of the war in Ukraine does not confirm such statements from the Russians. Data from Oryx blog creators, who document the equipment losses of both sides in the ongoing war, indicate that Ukrainians have lost 13 Leopard 2A6 tanks, 26 Leopard 2A4 tanks, and 22 Abrams tanks. Russian losses concerning their T-72B3M, T-80BVM, and T-90M tanks are counted in the hundreds.
The Oryx blog creators write about 136 units of the T-90 M, which is considered the best tank in Russia. Vladimir Putin, visiting the halls of the Uralvagonzavod arms concern, even stated that it is the best tank in the world. The heavy losses in the fighting and the analyses from Ukrainians show something different. According to them, it is a "failure rather than a breakthrough."
An employee of the German company KNDS recalled in an interview that the Leopard 2A6 is one of the newer tanks in Ukraine, but in fact, it is already over 20 years old, and the Russians will not discover anything groundbreaking in it.
Ukrainians value NATO tanks
Ukrainian soldiers do not share the Russians' opinion about the Leopard 2A6 tank. According to them, it is a tank that performs excellently in the realities of modern warfare and significantly surpasses post-Soviet designs.
The TASS statement also noted that "the Ukrainian army is making various modifications to outdated Leopard 1 tanks, which have largely lost their efficiency."
In this case, the words of Ukrainian soldiers also contradict Russian propaganda. They also spoke favourably about older variants of the Leopard.
