The Russian military has destroyed a German-made Leopard 2 tank in Russia’s Kursk Region, as Ukraine’s ill-fated attempt to hold on to Russian territory drags on. Video footage shows the tank suffering multiple hits from kamikaze drones.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that more than 500 casualties had been inflicted on Ukrainian forces throughout Kursk Region in the preceding 24 hours. Two Leopard tanks, four Swedish-made CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles, and dozens of other armored vehicles and pieces of military equipment were destroyed in the same period, the ministry stated.
In a video posted to the Northern Wind Telegram channel on Thursday, members of Russia’s North group of forces were seen using multiple first-person-view UAVs to hit a Leopard 2 tank. Northern Wind, which posts a constant stream of footage and updates from the front, described the tank as a Leopard 2A5, which would make it one of the most modern tanks in Ukraine’s arsenal.
The first hit caused a massive fire in the tank’s turret, while a second drone appeared to land a glancing blow on the Leopard’s hull. Footage captured by a drone hovering in the distance showed the tank burning uncontrollably after the impacts.
It is unclear when the footage was captured. However, Thursday’s update from the Defense Ministry made no mention of any Leopard tanks being destroyed, meaning the video was most likely recorded prior to the release of Wednesday’s statement.
Ukrainian forces launched a major cross-border operation in Kursk Region early last month, with Vladimir Zelensky declaring that he intended to hold as much Russian territory as possible in order to strengthen his hand in any potential peace talks with Moscow. The Ukrainian advance was soon halted, and Russian forces have since begun a counteroffensive to drive the invaders back across the border.
The operation has cost the Ukrainian military nearly 15,000 casualties, according to the latest figures from the Russian Defense Ministry. Moreover, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel General Aleksandr Syrsky, has admitted that the operation was in reality a gambit aimed at forcing Russia to pull troops from the Donbass frontline, and that Russia did not take the bait.
In the meantime, Russian forces have continued to advance in Donbass, while Moscow has ruled out any engagement with Kiev as long as it has troops on Russian soil.