Heavy fighting in southern Ukraine
Russian troops destroy first Leopard tank
06/09/2023 10:03 am
Has Ukraine’s planned counter-offensive already begun? Kiev rejects any reports, but the use of Western battle tanks is a clear indicator among military experts. Russian troops have now destroyed a Leopard tank for the first time in the south of the country.
For the first time, Russian troops destroyed a Leopard 2A4 main battle tank in their war of aggression against Ukraine. RTL and ntv were able to verify the corresponding video recordings. The pictures show a battle with several heavy war machines. They are said to have come from Wednesday near Novopokrovka in Zaporizhia in southern Ukraine.
Germany delivered the most Leopard tanks to Ukraine, a total of 18. They are intended to help the country liberate its Russian-held territories during the planned offensive. When the first Leopard tanks or armored mine clearance vehicles roll across the war field, that is a sure sign that the offensive has begun, Colonel Markus Reisner told ntv.de.
A few days ago, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the alleged destruction of a Leopard tank, but apparently provided false “evidence images”. A video did not show a western battle tank, but a combine harvester. The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had previously announced, among other things, the alleged destruction of eight Leopard main battle tanks. Russian military bloggers criticized the success story as an obvious duck.
Intense battles at Zaporizhia
The fighting in southern Ukraine had recently escalated. Officially, Kiev has not yet confirmed the start of its own major offensive. However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised “successes” in heavy fighting in the east of the country on Thursday evening. “There is very fierce fighting in the Donetsk region,” he said in his daily video message, which he delivered from a train. “There are successes and I am grateful to those who have achieved these successes. Well done in Bachmut. Step by step.”
He pointed to other areas of fighting but declined to give details. Pictures were published on his Telegram account showing him meeting some of the country’s most important generals.
Meanwhile, the Russian army reported heavy fighting in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Zaporizhia. 21 Ukrainian tanks were destroyed in battles at key points on the front. Russian military bloggers wrote that there were intense battles on the front in Zaporizhia near the city of Orikhiv. Ukraine is trying to break through Russian defenses there and drive a wedge between Russian forces.
This Leopard tank is not in Ukraine, but in an exercise in Switzerland.
(Photo: REUTERS)
Fighting is currently going on in the area between Orekhovo and Tokmak, a representative of the Russian occupation authorities, Vladimir Rogov, said on Telegram. Russian conflict correspondent Alexander Sladkov reported on Telegram of “intense fighting” in the area. “The enemy is making incredible efforts, attacks. In vain. Our forces are holding out. The front line is stable,” he wrote.
The information could not initially be independently verified. The Ukrainian army only announced on Facebook that “the enemy in Zaporizhia remains on the defensive”. She said she destroyed four missiles and 10 drones out of around 20 that Russia fired at “military installations and critical infrastructure.”