Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive has had no major impact on the frontline of the conflict so far, but has apparently resulted in large equipment losses for Kiev, according to Moscow.
Up to 30% of the heavy equipment supplied to Kiev by its Western backers has been destroyed by Russian troops, President Vladimir Putin said last week.
Almost a dozen videos, mostly published by the Russian Defense Ministry, have surfaced online in recent weeks, showing Ukrainian heavy equipment pieces being successfully targeted by Russian forces.
1. Repelled offensive in Donbass
On June 5, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video of its troops fighting off an attack by Ukrainian forces. Footage purportedly taken from a drone showed at least six Ukrainian vehicles moving through open terrain before being hit by Russian strikes. Some of the Ukrainian equipment pieces in the video appeared to be Western-supplied Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.
2. Destruction of Leopard tanks
On June 6, the Russian ministry published another video purporting to show one of the first Russian strikes targeting German-supplied Leopard tanks. The black-and-white video shows four pieces of heavy equipment, one of which resembles a Leopard tank.
A missile is then seen striking the tank. It also featured images of other – apparently Ukrainian – pieces of heavy equipment being struck from various distances. The video was released a day after the ministry claimed that eight Leopard tanks and three French-manufactured AMX-10 wheeled tanks had been destroyed by Russian forces
3. Failed Ukrainian offensive in Zaporozhye
On June 9, a video released by the ministry showed the wreckage of at least one Leopard 2A6 tank, as well as several US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) abandoned on a dirt road going through a field. According to Moscow, the heavy equipment pieces were destroyed during a failed Ukrainian offensive in Zaporozhye Region. The day before, Russia said Kiev’s forces had lost more than 30 tanks during an offensive in that area.
4. Ukraine shows destruction of Western-supplied armor
On June 10, a video surfaced online showing a Ukrainian heavy armor convoy being destroyed by Russian forces. The footage was purportedly captured from a Bradley IFV during a battle in Zaporozhye Region.
The clip showed a Bradley IFV exploding as it passed by two similar vehicles that had already been abandoned. The rest of the video featured attempts by the surviving Ukrainian soldiers to evacuate under Russian fire.
5. Russian soldiers capture Western equipment
On June 13, Moscow released a video showing Russian soldiers seizing Western-supplied military equipment that had apparently been abandoned in battle by Ukrainians. Footage shows a Russian soldier circling several damaged pieces of equipment, including a German-made Leopard 2 main battle tank and US-produced Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. He can be heard saying that some of their engines were still running.
6. Russian helicopter scores a double hit
On June 15, the Russian Defense Ministry published a video of an attack helicopter destroying two Ukrainian tanks just seconds apart. The grainy footage, which was extracted from the onboard computer of a Ka-52 helicopter, shows what appears to be two Ukrainian tanks next to each other as they target Russian positions in southern Donbass.
The helicopter’s crew fired two guided missiles in quick succession at the tanks, hitting both of them. The vehicles caught fire and began emitting thick plumes of black smoke.
‘Kamikaze’ tank
A video circulating online purportedly shows Russian troops deploying a captured Ukrainian tank after converting it into a powerful Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). The clip – which could not be independently verified – was apparently filmed this month in Donbass.
It shows the ‘kamikaze tank,’ which was reportedly loaded with six tons of explosives, being sent back towards Ukrainian positions without a driver.
The heavy armor was apparently stopped by a land mine and then hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing its cargo to detonate.
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