Ukraine fortifies Leopard 2 tanks against Russian advances

The German Leopards are the most prevalent NATO tanks in Ukraine. Leopard 2A6 is the latest variant and also the most recent NATO tank in Ukraine. It was produced in the early 21st century in response to the Russian T-90 series tanks.

Eighteen Leopard 2A6 tanks were delivered to Ukraine from Germany and Portugal, but only a few are still engaged in combat. The Russians have eliminated up to 13 of these tanks, seven of which they managed to destroy (the remainder were damaged or abandoned by retreating Ukrainians). In an effort to protect the remaining units, Ukrainians are adopting various modifications.

Although the Leopard 2A6 is considerably more durable than older versions of this German tank, the realities of the war in Ukraine have necessitated the installation of additional protections.

Ukrainians primarily use slat armour mounted at a distance of up to 0.5 metres from the tank's armour, which, although relatively lightweight, enhances the level of protection against basic anti-tank grenades (such as those from RPG-7 launchers).

Other modifications introduced by Ukrainians include mesh designed to protect against kamikaze drones, which Russians heavily use, and Kontakt-1 reactive armour blocks that safeguard against anti-tank missiles.

The main armament of the Leopard 2A6 tank is a Rheinmetall smoothbore gun with a calibre of 120 mm L/55. Ukrainian soldiers have repeatedly noted that, alongside a modern and effective fire control system, it offers substantial capabilities and allows them to engage targets at distances of up to 4 kilometres. Additional armament in this tank includes two machine guns with a calibre of 7.62 mm.