Russia Claims to Have Identified Weaknesses in Leopard 2 Tanks Amid Ukraine Conflict

Russia's state-owned defense corporation, Rostec, has announced that it has discovered vulnerabilities in the German-made Leopard 2A6 battle tank, claiming that the vehicle is inadequate for modern warfare scenarios. This assertion was reported by the Russian news agency Tass, which cited Rostec officials who conducted an analysis of a Leopard tank captured during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

According to Rostec, the identified weaknesses are related to the armor's thickness and composition, as well as the internal configuration of the tank. A retired Russian colonel, Sergei Suvorov, noted that while the Leopard 2 is not fundamentally weak, it possesses specific vulnerabilities that could be exploited on the battlefield.

Suvorov highlighted the tank's roof as a critical point of concern, indicating that it is relatively thin. He further mentioned that the placement of some of the ammunition in a compartment located at the rear of the turret poses a risk. He claimed that this design flaw makes it susceptible to strikes from drones and other aerial anti-tank munitions, which could target the ammunition storage area through the roof, potentially leading to catastrophic explosions.

In terms of losses, the independent open-source intelligence platform Oryx reports that Ukraine has lost a total of 43 Leopard 2 tanks during the conflict, categorized as follows: 13 Leopard 2A6 tanks, 26 Leopard 2A4 tanks, and four Leopard 2R mine-clearing vehicles.

Despite these claims from Russia, experts from the Military Today blog have consistently rated the Leopard 2 as one of the most formidable main battle tanks globally, outperforming competitors such as the American M1 Abrams, the British Challenger 2, and the French Leclerc tank. The Leopard 2 has demonstrated its capabilities in the ongoing conflict against Russian aggression under President Vladimir Putin.

Rostec, which is recognized as one of the largest arms manufacturers worldwide, reported a significant increase in defense production in 2023, with revenues rising by 29% compared to the previous year. The company recorded an annual revenue of approximately $21.7 billion in the defense sector as of May 19.