/ world today news/ Kiev assures that NATO tanks will turn the tide of hostilities in favor of Ukraine. About why “Leopards” are not a panacea, a man who knows these machines inside and out – an active serviceman from one of the NATO countries, who once commanded a tank company in Iraq – told Tsarigrad.
My interlocutor is a Russian emigrant, an active serviceman from another country. How and why he became the way he became is not so important – human destinies are sometimes strange and unpredictable. Much more important is what he told me by agreeing to speak on the condition of the strictest anonymity.
The reasons for such caution are understandable – at the moment, his sympathies for the historical Motherland are considered a crime in Europe. Let’s call him Alexander.
Advantages and disadvantages
So, Leopard 2. Speaking of this tank, I was primarily interested in a professional opinion on the pros and cons of this vehicle.
“Strengths: digital closed communication, modern multi-channel targeting system EMES-15 with built-in thermal imaging channel, panoramic commander’s sight PERI-R17, additional telescopic sight FERO-Z18 with eight times magnification, good speed and maneuverability thanks to the MB 873 ka-501 engine with a power of 1,500 hp, the Leo-2 is easier to control than the Russian tanks,” he said.
“It is well armored, especially the front of the hull and the turret, which makes it invulnerable to Soviet 125 mm tank shells even at a distance of 700 m,” Alexander listed the strengths of the machine.
But he did not forget about the shortcomings. “Leopards” are 2-3 times more expensive than Russian T-90AM “Breakthrough” and need well-trained, experienced crews”.
Another obvious disadvantage is the complexity and high cost of maintenance. A certain capriciousness of the Leopard was also noted, which, unlike our tanks, does not forgive many mistakes. The dimensions were also attributed to the shortcomings – the height of 2790 mm and the length of 7700 mm deprive the “Leo” of many opportunities for camouflage.
Curators of the Colonial Powers
As you know, if the West fully fulfills its promises, the armed forces of Ukraine will have tanks from at least four different manufacturers.
Confusion with repairs, spares and ammunition seems inevitable. But Western curators plan to circumvent this risk by taking control of the processes into their own hands.
“Certain difficulties, of course, will arise. But the general command of the armed forces of Ukraine is not carried out by Ukrainian generals,” Alexander is categorical.
“For this reason, the blocks are equipped with the same type of equipment. For example, the Nth tank brigade will be equipped with Leopardi-2A4, the other tank brigade will be equipped with Polish Tvardi,” he continues.
“It’s the same with light armored vehicles. There is no such thing as Strykers and Marauders in the same company. Besides, all major repairs of Western armored vehicles are done in Poland,” said my interlocutor.
Another question that many people who are interested in what is happening in the SVO zone are asking themselves: can these 293 Western tanks, about which the Ukrainians talk so animatedly, seriously affect the course of the campaign? Our interlocutor claims that the Russians really shouldn’t relax.
“To date, the armed forces of Ukraine are fully formed in wartime conditions and equipped with two combined army corps with a total strength (including auxiliary units) of almost 90 thousand people. And these corps are almost entirely armed with Western equipment.”
According to Alexander, these are very serious forces, moreover, they are gathered in one fist. And in the reports about 293 tanks, we are talking about Western-made machines, without taking into account the previously delivered Soviet-type tanks, as well as the armed forces’ own armored vehicles.
Reason for optimism
Despite his foreign citizenship, the officer from the army of a potential enemy sympathized with Russia. He outlined ways to counter the German machine. And according to him, there is no need to reinvent the wheel here – everything has already been developed.
“And about the vulnerability of the Leopards … Our grandfathers also invented methods – work on the undercarriage, tank ambushes and ambushes of ATGM crews, anti-tank mines, ground attack aircraft, especially guided air-to-ground weapons,” he says.
“The devil is not so scary. Yes, Leopard-2 is superior to Russian vehicles, but far from an order of magnitude. And to develop its potential, you need a very experienced and competent crew. The task of the Russian Armed Forces is to prevent the Ukrainians to gain that experience,” concluded Alexander.
Does anyone doubt that such advice should be heeded? The answer is obvious.
What of this?
Yes, supplies of Western heavy weapons to Ukraine are still slow. At least of the Russian fighters we interviewed, few people had seen them in person. But they are coming and it is necessary to prepare for the fact that one day all the promises of Washington and Brussels can be fulfilled, this is necessary today.
Work in this direction is being conducted, but only actual combat operations can confirm or deny its effectiveness. Therefore, let us hope for the best and wish for the only Victory.
Translation: SM
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