A new video that is circulating online seems to show Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian tanks. The tanks in question are a variant of the German Leopard 2A5 tank called the Stridsvagn 122, which were given to Ukraine by Sweden. According to reports, Ukraine has lost at least two of these tanks.
The video shows two separate attacks on a stranded tank, both carried out by a quadcopter kamikaze drone known as the VT-40. The footage was published on a Telegram channel that promotes the use of the drone. The attacks took place in the same location.
Last week, Swedish media reported that the Swedish government had delivered ten Stridsvagn 122 tanks to the Ukrainian military. This delivery was part of a commitment announced in February. The ten tanks make up about 10% of Ukraine’s tank fleet. The Stridsvagn 122 is known as the “best tank in the world” and has heavier armor than the original German model.
Two other videos surfaced online last Friday, showing Ukrainian troops abandoning two of the Swedish tanks, leaving them vulnerable to Russian drone attacks. One of the short clips showed the same location as the video currently circulating online. However, the poster misidentified the tanks as Leopard 2s and claimed that they were hit by Lancet kamikaze drones near Svatovo, a city in the Lugansk People’s Republic that has seen significant fighting during Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive.
Both videos did not show any troops near the tanks or provide any information on how they were disabled. The tanks’ reinforced hatches were seen open, suggesting that the crew had evacuated.
The US and its allies have provided Ukraine with hundreds of heavy weapons to support its efforts against Russia. However, Ukraine has struggled to gain territory in the past four months. Moscow has accused the West of waging a proxy war against Russia and using Ukrainian troops as “cannon fodder.” According to a report from the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost an estimated 2,700 pieces of heavy weaponry and over 17,000 troops this month alone.
The situation in Ukraine remains tense, with ongoing clashes between Ukrainian and Russian-backed forces. The loss of these tanks highlights the challenges facing Ukraine as it tries to defend its territory against Russian aggression. It also raises concerns about the effectiveness of the equipment provided by its allies.
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