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Military Aid = “Junk Weapons”? Germany’s Leopards, IRIS-Ts Not Holding Up Well in Ukraine

8-6-2023 < Global Research 36 443 words
 



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The German equipment used in Ukraine is not holding up too well, with reports on Thursday saying the Leopard tanks and the IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems handed to Ukraine were hit by Russian fire, causing them to be badly damaged and even destroyed in the process.


The Russian armed forces, using loitering munitions, eliminated a radar station of an IRIS-T air defense system.


In the wake of the revelation, the Russian Defense Ministry published footage depicting the target being essentially wiped out.


“The UAV units of the Airborne Forces detected the position of an IRIS-T SLM air defense system after which a strike with loitering munitions was delivered on the multifunctional radar station. The radar station was eliminated with a strike by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),” a commentary to the video said.




The first IRIS-Ts were handed to Ukraine back in October 2022. German newspaper Der Speigel reported at the time that Berlin planned to deliver four systems to Kiev. The handover was made near the Polish-Ukrainain border.


The delivery was made at a time when reports were saying for months the German military was running out of weapons that can be sent to Ukraine, with Kiev still projected to be dependent on defense assistance from Berlin.


Leopard 2s seen for the first time


According to Russian sources, drone footage taken yesterday during the Ukrainian offensive near the city of Orikhiv in the Zaporozhye region appears to show at least two German-made Leopard 2 tanks as well as several armored personnel carriers, including American M113s, that are under fire from Russian artillery.




Numerous pieces of equipment appear to have been destroyed.


These images represent the first visual confirmation that Ukrainian forces are employing Leopard 2 tanks in active combat.


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