The battle caused Ukraine to lose its most modern Leopard tank.

Unforeseen factors caused the raid of two Ukrainian brigades in Zaporizhzhia to fail, the most modern Leopard 2A6 tanks were destroyed.

On the morning of June 8, the 33rd Mechanized Brigade and the 47th Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian army gathered many Leopard 2 main battle tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to launch a large-scale attack on the Russian defense line near the village of Malaya Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia province.

To get close to the Russian trenches, the two Ukrainian brigades would have to cross a dense minefield. Ukrainian commanders knew this and deployed at least one BMR-2 minesweeper and one Leopard 2R mine-clearing vehicle, hoping to create a safe opening for a company of M2A2 Bradleys from the 47th Brigade and some Leopard 2A6 tanks from the 33rd Brigade to advance.

However, a series of unexpected factors appeared when the minesweepers began to charge. The Ukrainian engineers failed to clear the way because the minefield was too thick, leaving at least one Leopard 2A6 tank, one BMR-2 minesweeper and nine Ukrainian M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles stuck in the open field.

Russian helicopter gunships and artillery immediately opened fire on the Ukrainian tank and armored formations that were almost standing still. In just a short time, the Leopard 2A6 tanks and a series of armored vehicles were destroyed by missiles launched from Ka-52 helicopters and artillery shells.

The moment Ukraine lost a series of modern armored vehicles — A convoy of Ukrainian armored vehicles was attacked by Russia in a video released on June 9. Video: *Telegram/Voin_Dv*

The attack near the village of Malaya Tokmachka to break through the Russian defense line on June 8 was unsuccessful and was a major setback for Ukraine.

Ukraine’s allies have so far only committed to delivering 21 Leopard 2A6s, the most modern variant of the German-made main battle tank, and 109 M2 infantry fighting vehicles equipped with anti-tank missiles made in the US. The failed raid on June 8 caused Ukraine’s 33rd and 47th brigades to lose up to 5% of their combat vehicles in just one morning.

Western experts believe that breaking through the enemy's defense is the most difficult and damaging stage for any armored unit, which was clearly demonstrated in the battle near the village of Malaya Tokmachka.

Under Russian fire, Ukrainian units were forced to withdraw from the front line to preserve their combat vehicles, including the crews of Leopard 2R mine-clearing vehicles. However, they had to leave behind British-made heavy mine plows on the battlefield.

If the battlefield conditions were more favorable for the Ukrainian side, they could pull back the Leopard 2A6 and some M2 armored vehicles for repair. The Ukrainian army has already tried to repair a Leopard 2A4 damaged in fighting with Russia. However, the two Ukrainian brigades will be forced to change their offensive tactics after the defeat on June 8.

Location of the village of Malaya Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia province. Graphics: RYV — Location of the village of Malaya Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia province. Graphics: *RYV*

Western experts say the Russian defense line south of Malaya Tokmachka is much stronger than Ukrainian intelligence estimates. The 70th and 291st Motorized Infantry Regiments, the 22nd and 45th Spetsnaz Brigades, and a Russian reserve unit are holding the area.

The 33rd and 47th Brigades may have to speed up the clearance of Russian minefields or find a way around them. Russian attack helicopters were one of the factors that led to the failure of the June 8 raid, so Ukraine may need to bring its Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to the front line to provide support.

The raid by the 33rd and 47th brigades near the village of Malaya Tokmachka may have been the first major defeat for Ukraine in its counter-offensive, but Western experts believe it is not a sign that a major counter-offensive will have a similar outcome.

"The losses of weapons and equipment, including Western-supplied ones, early in the Ukrainian counteroffensive are not indicative of future developments," the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. "It is important not to exaggerate the initial losses of Western and other weapons, especially in raids on well-fortified enemy lines."

Nguyen Tien (According to Forbes )

Source link