Ukraine sends Leopard 1 tanks into battle, Russia destroys the first one

Ukraine đưa xe tăng Leopard 1 xung trận, Nga phá hủy chiếc đầu tiên - 1 — A Ukrainian Leopard 1 tank lies motionless on the front line after being hit by Russian fire (Photo: Forbes).

Forbes reports that the Ukrainian army lost its first Leopard 1A5 tank after images showed the weapon in action more than a week ago.

A video posted on November 28 shows one of Ukraine's German-made tanks, belonging to the 44th Brigade, being hit by enemy fire on the eastern front.

According to images from a Russian UAV, the 40-ton tank, with its four-person crew, moved along a row of trees before turning into a wide field. Due to its unprotected location, the Leopard 1 quickly became a target for Russian attack.

The left track of the tank appears to be damaged, rendering it immobile. The crew appears to have escaped as the turret section has opened.

The 44th Brigade may have received one Leopard 1A5 battalion so far. In combat, tank losses are unavoidable, but the loss of Leopard 1A5s is considered relatively early, given that these weapons only began appearing on the front lines just over a week ago.

Previously, experts had discussed the tank's biggest weakness. The Leopard 1A5 appears to lack any additional armor plating. It has no armor cage to protect against UAVs. It is not fitted with explosive reactive armor to block incoming missiles and artillery shells.

With its thickest armor plating at only 70mm, the Leopard 1A5 may be the least protected tank in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Even the classic Russian T-55s from the 1950s and the comparable but upgraded Ukrainian M-55S tanks are better protected in some respects than the Leopard 1A5.

However, according to Forbes, poor protection may not be the only reason Ukraine lost its first Leopard 1A5.

All tanks are vulnerable to artillery fire under or near their tracks. Even the best-protected tanks—the American-made M-1 or the German-made Leopard 2A6—are susceptible to this risk.

The question arises as to why the Leopard 1A5 was moving across open ground in broad daylight. To survive on a high-tech battlefield, the Leopard 1A5 crew must hide, fire its 105mm main gun from 3.2km or more, and constantly change positions. Furthermore, observers believe that missions using the Leopard 1A5 should be conducted at night to reduce risk.

Leopard 1A5 tanks arrived in Ukraine nine months after Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark pledged to purchase the tanks in the 1980s for Kyiv to counter Russia. With 200 units committed, the Leopard 1A5 is expected to become the largest Western-made tank of its kind in Ukraine.

The Leopard 1A5 boasts precise fire control and a reliable 105mm main gun compatible with a wide range of ammunition. However, in the first images of this tank on the Ukrainian battlefield, observers have noticed a worrying problem.

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