British Challenger 2 tanks have reportedly taken center stage once again, with pro-Russian sources claiming that Ukrainian forces are deploying these tanks in a surprise counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region.
On January 5, Ukraine launched a surprise counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region. The maneuver forced the Kremlin to deploy one of its top generals to the front lines in an attempt to quell the assault.
Military bloggers aligned with Russian interests were quick to report the Ukrainian offensive, which began early in the morning on January 5.
Ukrainian tanks and infantry were said to have targeted positions in Kursk, advancing towards the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye, located approximately 15 miles northeast of Sudzha, a Ukrainian stronghold in the region.
The pro-Russian Telegram channel “Archangel of Spetsnaz Z,” which boasts over 1.1 million followers, has claimed that Ukrainian forces are pushing into Russian-controlled territory using tanks and armored personnel carriers to transport troops deep into the region.
‼️🇷🇺🇺🇦💥🇬🇧 Bye-bye, #British Challenger. #Russia pic.twitter.com/7hV2VpGwA8
— Maimunka News (@MaimunkaNews) January 5, 2025
“The enemy is driving forward with tanks and armored personnel carriers full of soldiers,” the channel stated, providing updates as the situation unfolded.
Both Ukrainian and Russian officials later confirmed the assault, a move likely designed to bolster Kyiv’s position ahead of potential peace talks. The attack, coming in the heart of winter, suggests a strategic push by Ukraine to disrupt Russian control and demonstrate resolve.
In reaction to the Ukrainian offensive, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov swiftly arrived in Kursk Oblast.
Rybar, one of Russia’s most influential military bloggers, provided further insight into the developments, claiming that Russian forces had successfully destroyed at least one Challenger 2 tank using drone strikes.
“It was destroyed by drone crews from the 155th Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet,” Rybar reported, sharing footage of the attack.
A video shared on the channel purportedly shows grainy footage of a drone striking a tank concealed within a tree line.
However, EurAsian Times cannot independently verify whether the tank in question is indeed a Challenger 2, 14 of which were supplied by the UK in January 2023—a move that later prompted the US and Germany to provide their own tanks.
The Challenger 2 first made headlines in the region in August 2024, when Ukrainian forces used them for the first time to attack Russian positions in the Kursk region, successfully capturing a significant chunk of territory.
At the time, the UK confirmed that Ukrainian forces were authorized to use British-supplied weapons on Russian soil.
Ukrainian soldiers who have had direct experience with the Challenger 2 tanks have praised their accuracy, advanced fire control systems, and overall survivability in challenging battlefield conditions.
In November 2024, one Ukrainian crew member explained that the tank’s rifled 120mm gun, paired with a sophisticated firing system, adjusts for environmental factors like wind speed and humidity, allowing them to make precise shots even at distances of up to 10 kilometers.
Ukraine’s Electronic Warfare Dominates Kursk Region Offensive
One of the pivotal aspects of Ukraine’s latest offensive is its use of electronic warfare (EW), which has allegedly left Russian forces “struggling” to adapt and revealed vulnerabilities in their ability to counter Ukraine’s movements.
Reports from military bloggers suggest that Ukraine’s armed forces have effectively deployed electronic warfare to disrupt Russian drone operations, severely hampering UAV functionality in the region.
Prominent pro-Russian Telegram blogger FighterBomber confirmed that the electronic warfare systems (EWS) have not only blinded Russian ground intelligence but also incapacitated their drone strike capabilities.
FighterBomber stated, “The swift progress of the long-awaited offensive has made it impossible to deploy the UMPKs in the Kursk region en masse. The ‘ping’ delay is considerable. All drones, except those using fiber optics, have crashed. As a result, spotting targets has reverted to outdated methods, like using binoculars.”
The UMPKs (Unified gliding and correction module) are aerial munitions controlled over long distances through satellite or other guidance systems.
The “ping delay” refers to the latency in data transmission between the operator and the device. To operate UMPKs effectively, a quick and stable connection is important—something that has been undermined by Ukraine’s EW tactics.
Razvedos Advanced Gear & Equipment, a well-followed Russian military news channel on Telegram, further corroborated this information, which emphasized the effectiveness of Ukraine’s electronic warfare in their January 5 offensive.
“While this direction wasn’t unexpected, their electronic warfare implementation proved EXTREMELY effective,” the channel noted regarding the combat in Bolshesoldatsky.
Some Russian accounts have also downplayed the success of Ukraine’s counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) EW, suggesting that the effectiveness of Ukrainian EW capabilities has been exaggerated.
While Ukrainian officials have remained largely quiet on the specifics of the offensive, Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s chief of staff, alluded to the operation, remarking that Russia was “getting what it deserves” in Kursk.
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