WATCH Russian military take out German-made Leopard tanks

Russia's military has knocked out several of Ukraine’s German-made Leopard 2 tanks in the northern section of the front in the the country's Donetsk People's Republic, the Defense Ministry has claimed, releasing a video of the strikes.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said the Russian military’s ‘West’ grouping had destroyed a platoon of Ukrainian armor not far from the village of Terny. It claimed that Moscow’s forces had spotted the armored spearhead preparing for an attack, but nipped it in the bud by destroying the tanks with high-precision weapons. It did not provide details on the type of arms used.

Several snippets of video released by Russian officials – seemingly filmed from a drone above – appear to show at least two heavy tanks on a rough road, with several projectiles striking them, triggering a shower of sparks from the impact. A thick plume of smoke begins rising from the tanks, with a fire seen burning on the turret of one.

While the tanks appear to have been hit, the exact extent of the damage and the fate of their crews remains unclear.

Russian military Telegram channel Voyenny Osvedomitel suggested that the Leopards had been hit by Lancet kamikaze drones – the effectiveness of which has previously been acknowledged by Ukrainian officials – and anti-tank guided missile systems.

Russian defense officials and social media channels frequently share clips of destroyed Ukrainian military hardware, echoing Western media reports in recent months that Kiev’s forces have lost a significant amount of armored units. 

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed last month that Ukraine had lost 766 tanks, including 37 Leopards, since the start of its botched counteroffensive in early June. He also estimated Kiev’s casualties at around 160,000 troops over the same period.