Must see: Ukrainians broke Leopard, they detached the tank turret

BERLIN, GERMANY — The first proven damaged tank as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia is now a fact. However, the German Leopard did not lose a battle at the front but lost the battle with the Ukrainian crew on the training ground somewhere in Europe.

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It is not known how the Ukrainian crew managed to separate the turret, along with the main gun and secondary armament, plus all the control systems from the chassis of the tank. The photos are not so shocking because, in principle, similar incidents are possible. But it’s rare to see a separate turret from the chassis of a tank that hasn’t seen combat.

The tank crew is fine. However, how this incident happened is anyone’s guess. Whether the tank at high speed “flew” over a high fortification, or the gun, while it was below 90 degrees, hit an obstacle – everything is in the realm of conjecture.

We also cannot know the exact cause of the accident to blame the tank crew. It is possible that the tank was not in good technical condition. In fact, if the tank is from the German army, it is quite possible that the platform has not been well maintained over the years. In recent months, we have seen quite a few reports from Berlin indicating that the operational readiness of some ground combat platforms is under fire.

We should note that the model of the tank is Leopard 2A4. Experts will tell you that this incident is no big deal. And they will be right. The dome must be checked to see if any systems on it have been damaged as a result of the incident. after all, it is the “heart” of any tank. The turret houses the main computer, sights, either day or night, fire control systems, as well as the main gun and secondary ordnance.

A tank can easily be restored, especially if the systems have preserved their integrity and functionality. another point of view is that the tank is old after all. These are tanks from the 90s, which, in truth, were more participants in training one-type battlefields than in air battles. Some experts suggest that this incident shows that the Ukrainian crews simply need to go through more thorough training.

BulgarianMilitary.com experts said that if the tank’s turret is simply separated from the chassis, it will take several weeks for the tank to regain its normal appearance. But if the electronics and barrel are damaged, this particular Leopard 2A4 may never be restored.

Other observers pay attention not so much to the dome as to the metal from which the tank is constructed. “Ever worked with metal? Once it is bent you can hardly put it back. Just look at the damage… the main connection area where the turret is in contact with the body is off,” says a Twitter user, without BulgarianMilitary.com committed to the veracity of his claim.

“Turret is strong but interior components and the “basket” if damaged (there are some visible even on the phone screen). That is the reason why it should be long testing and inspection. I saw some impact at the cannon and if is even slightly bent then is out 3-4 months,” replies another Twitter user, countering the first’s claim that metal is the bigger problem.

Ukrainian counteroffensive

Whatever happened, we hope to find out shortly. Ukrainian crews continue to train on Western tanks in countries in Europe. It is expected that the Leopard will be the most delivered Western tank for the Ukrainian offensive. Britain has promised to deliver at least 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks, and the US is preparing to send at least 31 M1 Abrams tanks to its Ukrainian counterparts later this year.

There are reports that at least 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently being trained in various parts of the planet. They are preparing for a counter-offensive in the coming months to retake what is temporarily occupied by Russia. Rumor has it that the counter-offensive will not take place in the spring but in early summer. However, these are claims that we will have to wait for to happen.

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