A Ukrainian Leopard 1A5 lies motionless on the Ukrainian battlefield (Photo: Forbes).
"The Western Army Group commander once again praised the successful actions of the anti-tank missile crew of the 1st tank unit in destroying the Leopard 1A5 tank," the Russian Defense Ministry quoted Vladimir Lugovoy, Deputy Commander of the Western Military District.
The soldiers who shot down the tank were awarded the Order of Courage and other state awards, and a reward equivalent to 700,000 rubles ($7,890).
According to Mr. Lugovoy, the Leopard 1A5 was destroyed while trying to penetrate the Russian defense line.
TASS quoted the tank destroyer group as saying they had been waiting for the Leopard 1A5 for more than 2 weeks.
"We heard it but didn't see it. In the afternoon, we came across it, aimed and fired the first shot. The second shot also hit and burned the tank," the crew chief nicknamed Piter recounted.
On November 28, Forbes posted a video that appeared to show a German-made Leopard 1A5 — likely part of the Kiev army’s 44th Mechanized Brigade — hit by a shell in eastern Ukraine. The tank’s left track appeared to have been damaged by a shell or mine, leaving it immobile.
The video does not show the crew escaping, but the Leopard 1A5's two turret doors are left open. According to Forbes , this is a sign that the crew escaped.
In early November, the German government announced the donation of 25 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine. The shooting down of the Leopard 1A5 occurred just weeks after it first entered combat.
According to Forbes , the Leopard 1A5 is perhaps the tank with the thinnest armor on the Ukrainian battlefield, with a thickness of no more than 70mm.
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