Two Western military analysts said that the opening stage of the counteroffensive has seen the combat debut of German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks, which were supplied to Kyiv after months of diplomatic wrangling with its NATO backers.
Russia’s military released drone footage of what it said was an attack by Ukrainian armored units in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region in the early hours of Thursday.
Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at Le Beck International, a risk management consultancy, reviewed the footage and said he was confident that it showed Leopard tanks in action.
“This would be the first time Ukraine deploys Western battle tanks, which is a sure sign that this is serious,” Horowitz told NBC News.
Russia’s military claimed it destroyed three of the Ukrainian Leopards during the fighting, as well as 27 other tanks, using artillery and airstrikes. That claim could not be verified by NBC News.
Later President Vladimir Putin was quoted by the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti as saying that Ukrainian troops did not achieve their goals “thanks to the courage of Russian soldiers, the correct organization of the troops.
“It can be said for sure that the Ukrainian offensive has begun, this is evidenced by the use of strategic reserves,” Putin was quoted as saying. “Russia still lacks modern weapons, but the defense industry is developing rapidly,” he added.
A spokesman for Ukraine’s military declined to comment when asked about the Leopard tanks, in line with Kyiv’s policy of not officially commenting on the progress of the counteroffensive.
However, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, confirmed Ukrainian forces were attacking in the Zaporizhzhia region near the small city of Orikhiv. “The enemy is actively on the defensive,” she said in a statement.
The 60-ton Leopard 2 is made by Germany but widely used by European members of the NATO alliance. Armed with a 120-mm cannon, it can hit targets from a range of more than 3 miles and is significantly more powerful than the Soviet-era tanks previously used by Ukraine’s military.
