The Russian-Ukrainian war took another turn when Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s largest tank manufacturer, announced that they managed to get hold of an almost completely intact German-made Leopard 2 tank. The tank, which originally came to support the Ukrainian army, is now in the hands of Russian engineers, Bulgarianmilitary.com wrote.
On September 30, Uralvagonzavod published a video showing the looted tank being transported by truck to the company’s premises at night. The footage shows a combat vehicle in surprisingly good condition, which probably fell into Russian hands without a fight.
“Leopard is now resting on jacks, and our specialists have already started to take it apart so that every detail can be thoroughly examined,” said the spokesperson of Uralvagonzavod proudly. Russian engineers aim to analyze every little detail, from the armor to the fire control system.
This development can cause serious concern in NATO countries. The Leopard 2 is one of the most modern tanks in the world, and now the Russians can study first-hand the pinnacle of Western military technology. According to analysts, this could even give the Russian army a significant advantage in future developments.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that modern Western military technology has fallen into Russian hands. So far during the war, the Russians have captured around 15 Leopard 2 tanks, while the Ukrainians have recovered ten during their counterattacks.
The engineers of Uralvagonzavod are now working feverishly to unravel all the secrets. Special attention is paid to armor, weaponry and electronic systems. The goal is nothing more than to use the knowledge acquired here to improve the capabilities of their own tanks.
Although Western countries try to keep their most advanced technologies secret, it seems anything is possible on the battlefield. And this turn of events could even open a new chapter in the history of modern military technology, where opponents try to gain an advantage by studying each other’s most advanced tools.
Cover image: Frame from the video of the Leopard 2 tank being lifted off the transport vehicle (Source: Screenshot)
Source: magyarnemzet.hu
