“German Trash”: Russia Dissects Leopard-2 MBTs; Expert Committee Calls Them Much Inferior To Russian Ones

By
Sakshi Tiwari
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The Russian defense and industrial conglomerate Rostec has claimed that the German-origin Leopard-2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) deployed by Ukraine are much inferior to Russian battle tanks. The claim comes as Russian forces obliterated several Leopard-2 tanks that were once hailed as game changers.

Rostec said that an expert evaluation suggests that the German-origin tank is inferior to Russian serial-produced T-72 B3M, T-80 BVM, and T-90M battle tanks, which are more suited to modern warfare, TASS News Agency reported. The assertion was made after carefully evaluating a Leopard-2A6 MBT that was seized from the Ukrainian Army.

“As of today, the Russian-made T-72B3M, T-80BVM, and T-90M vehicles are the serial-produced tanks best adapted to modern warfare. They feature improved all-around protection against drones and anti-tank missile systems: from counter-HEAT [high-explosive anti-tank] screens to reactive armor elements and other add-ons,” Rostec said in a statement on May 19.

Rostec cited dozens of instances in which Russian-made tanks held up against a wide range of attacks from various directions while still maintaining their fighting capabilities. The conglomerate also criticised the Leopard-1 MBTs operated by Ukraine, saying, “These vehicles have largely lost their efficiency.”

As reported by the EurAsian Times earlier, Russia managed to capture several Leopard-2 tanks from Ukraine and projected them as war trophies. A Leopard-2A6 was also displayed at a museum in St Petersburg last year.

Rostec’s claims cannot be independently verified and are likely to be dismissed by Western experts as exaggerations aimed at furthering Russian propaganda. Expectedly, a Russian military expert called the tanks “German Trash”, claiming they did not stand a chance against Russian MBTs.

However, it is true that the German Leopard-2 faced a debacle on the battlefield, dealing a severe blow to its reputation.

According to Oryx, a Dutch open-source intelligence blog that tracks equipment losses in the Ukraine War, Ukraine lost 18 Leopard-2A5, 26 Leopard-2A4, and 13 Leopard-2A6. These figures are based on visual confirmation of tank destruction or abandonment, which means that the actual number of losses could be higher.

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A Ukrainian Leopard-2A6 captured by Russia (Via X)

Germany approved the transfer of Leopard-2 tanks to the Ukrainian forces in early 2023 after months of prevarication. The Leopard 2, particularly variants like the 2A4, 2A6, and Stridsvagn 122, was hailed as a game-changer due to its advanced composite armor, fire control systems, and NATO-standard 120mm gun.

However, these tanks “tanked on the battlefield in an unexpected spectacle.

The first few of them were destroyed in a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive, which was attributed to poor strategy rather than the weakness in the armor of the German tanks.

However, later, the Leopard-2s faced challenges such as Russian anti-tank guided missiles like Kornet, precision artillery, and First-Person View (FPV) drones.

These challenges may have exposed some vulnerability in the tank’s armor. The Leopard 2A6’s side and rear armor is significantly thinner than the frontal arc, which makes it vulnerable to anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) like the Russian Kornet or even older RPG-7s when hit from non-frontal angles.

The Leopard-2 tanks handed over to Ukraine did not have the Active Protection System (APS), which helps to actively prevent certain anti-tank weapons from destroying a vehicle. However, Ukraine has been equipping its Leopard-2s with the Trophy APS, as seen in multiple images posted to social media.

Moreover, the Leopard-2 tanks were seen to be defenceless against FPVs and loitering munitions deployed by Russia that target the Leopard 2’s weaker top and side armor.

According to reports, the Leopard 2A6s have been lost to side hits from drones and ATGMs. These tanks were eventually fitted with cope cages to protect them against these drone assaults from the top.

However, these are the common challenges faced by both Russian and Ukrainian tanks on the battlefield. While Russian tanks have very solid armor, a combination of steel, composite layers, and explosive reactive armor (ERA), it is not impenetrable.

Russia also lost several tanks that it considered superior. For instance, the Russian Army lost about 200-300 T-72B3M, 142 T-80BVM, and 130 T-90M, as per Oryx.

These staggering losses have been attributed to evolving drone tactics, the proliferation of kamikaze drones, and an uptick in the use of First-Person View (FPV) drones by the Ukrainian forces.

Similarly, the Leopard-2 tanks have their own advantages. For instance, in Leopard-2 MBTSs, ammunition is stored in the turret bustle with blow-out panels. This helps reduce catastrophic explosions and improves survivability.

However, since early 2023, Russian state media has carried several reports emphasising the weakness in the German tanks’ armour.

In May last year, a Military Intelligence veteran, Vyacheslav Kondrashov, told the Russian News Agency RIA that Russian military intelligence officers received information in advance about the vulnerabilities of German Leopard tanks.

“There are heavy tanks at the exhibition of trophy equipment, including the German Leopard. They were hit by our soldiers. They knew where to shoot, how to shoot,” Kondrashov said. These claims were not acknowledged by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).

Meanwhile, as fighting continues and a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine remains elusive, Ukraine is set to receive more than 40 US-origin Abrams MBTs from Australia.

Lancet Leopard attack
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Australia’s ‘Retired’ Abrams Headed To Ukraine

Australia’s Minister for Defense Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy, announced in October 2024 that 49 M1A1s would be sent to Ukraine to bolster its fight against Russian troops. However, as Conroy noted earlier this year, the deliveries were delayed due to unidentified obstacles and technological limitations.

Now, these tanks could soon be on their way to Ukraine.

ABC News reports that the first of the 49 vehicles is being loaded onto a cargo ship. The report noted that the current location or expected arrival date would not be disclosed due to security reasons.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an overnight meeting in Rome after Albanese confirmed the fleet of M1A1 vehicles was on its way.

Australia had to wait for Washington’s clearance to transfer the US-made tanks to a third country before the shipment procedure could start. According to the ABC report, US officials remained privately frustrated about the supply of decommissioned tanks even though an approval was duly granted, likely based on their performance against Russia earlier.

“Last year, even before Donald Trump returned as president, we warned the Australians that sending these Abrams tanks would be complicated, and once they finally get to the battlefield, the Ukrainians will find them difficult to sustain,” one US official told the ABC.

Australian M1A1 Abrams

Ukraine earlier secured the delivery of all 31 M1A1 Abrams from the United States by October 2023, hoping for a strategic advantage on the dynamic battlefield. However, the jubilation on receiving the combat-hardened Western tank did not last long, as the tanks started to become prime targets of the Russian military.

The Ukrainian crews in charge of maintaining these tanks told the media in May 2024 that the Ukrainian crews and soldiers were exposed to attacks due to the lack of armor needed to withstand modern weapons like drones.

Although the tank was designed for mobility warfare, its flaws in the drone and missile-heavy environment of Ukraine essentially rendered it ineffective.

The tanks experienced technical problems due to condensation, which adversely affected their electronic parts. Additionally, the crews highlighted that the Abrams were ill-suited for operation in Ukraine. Russia has also managed to capture some Abrams. At least one of these tanks was displayed as a war trophy alongside the Leopard-2.

In Australia, the decision to transfer the M1A1 Abrams to Ukraine was taken because the Royal Australian Army swapped them out for the more modern M1A2 version of the Abrams. Since the tanks headed for Ukraine are fairly outdated, at least some will need refurbishment, while others could be used for spare parts.

 

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