The Ukrainian Army Lost Bradley Fighting Vehicles And A Leopard 2 Tank Trying And Failing To Breach Russian Defenses In Southern Ukraine

Forbes ^ | June 9, 2023 | David Axe

[MinorityRepublican]

The Ukrainian army’s 33rd Mechanized Brigade and 47th Assault Brigade massed their Leopard tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles for a powerful assault on Russian positions two miles south of Mala Tokmachka in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast on or before Thursday morning.

A dense minefield lay between the Ukrainians and their objective. And the Ukrainians knew it. They deployed at least one IMR-2 engineering vehicle and a Leopard 2R breaching vehicle in the hope of plowing away the mines and clearing a path for at least a company of 47th Brigade M-2A2 Bradleys and some attached Leopard 2A6s from the 33rd Brigade.

The engineers failed—either because the minefield was too dense or Russian helicopters or artillery interrupted their efforts to clear the mines. In short order, the IMR-2, a rare Leopard 2A6 and as many as nine Bradleys piled up, out in the open. Exposed, under fire and taking damage, the surviving crews and passengers bailed out—and took their dead and wounded with them.

The assault—a so-called “breach” targeting prepared enemy fortifications—failed. That doesn’t mean the Ukrainians have failed in their wider attempt to advance south into Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia, a prerequisite to an armored breakthrough that itself is a prerequisite to a large-scale liberation of occupied southern Ukraine.

But it’s a setback. And a potentially serious one if the Ukrainians can’t recover and repair some of the damaged vehicles. Ukraine’s allies so far have pledged to the war effort just 21 long-gun Leopard 2A6s and 109 missile-armed M-2s. The 33rd Brigade-47th Brigade battlegroup lost much as five percent of each vehicle consignment in a single morning.

[allendale]

This meat grinder continues to bring joy to globalist elites and scrap dealers.

[Fido969]

Russians have set up defenses in depth. The front line is flexible, but if the Ukes punch through that, they'll soon hit the hard defensive line. Any claims of Uke advances are just punching through the frontier. Armor is crossing flat territory without adequate air cover. It's getting beaten up badly

[rdcbn1]

I really don't get how people have seem to feel the Bradley fighting vehicles and Leopard tanks are some sort of magic bullet, indestructible super weapons capable of wiping out the Russians simply by showing up. They are outstanding weapons but they are far from new and are actually the same general vintage and capabilities as some of the more advanced Russian armor. They are designed for a type of warfare that the Ukrainians are not capable of executing

[Rdct29]

The Ukrainians are going to have real problems if they don't get more mine clearing vehicles and some air cover for their attacking units. One or two mine clearing vehicles is not enough. The column I saw only had one mine sweeper. How do you attack across open terrain with mines when you don't have air cover? I can't believe the Ukrainians are even trying to attack. It seems like suicide to me.

[Fido969]

They are attacking because they promised their Western benefactors a spring counter-offensive for the billions they’ve received. Whether or not it could be successful is irrelevant.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

The Z man's Ukrainian Ztorm Troopers lost yet another EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle.

[fireman15]

They are attacking because they promised their Western benefactors a spring counter-offensive for the billions they've received.

Yes, the objective in this case has nothing to do with the chance of any sort of military victory. The Ukrainian dictatorship has to show that they are willing to sacrifice their cannon fodder to keep Zelensky from being thrown under the troop carrying bus.

[MinorityRepublican]

[dfwgator]

“It’s Ukraine, it’s like going into Wisconsin.”

[thescourged1]

Kursk 2.0

Some of us remember how that turned out.

[Rocco DiPippo]

"They are attacking because they promised their Western benefactors a spring counter-offensive for the billions they’ve received. Whether or not it could be successful is irrelevant."

Close to the truth, but I'll make it closer: They are attacking because the gay-dancing, phony actor, fake hero and leftist/globalist puppet promised his Western benefactors a spring counter-offensive for the billions he has received. Whether or not it could be successful is irrelevant.

[Erik Latranyi]

...and it demonstrates, once again, that the Ukrainian leadership, Biden and NATO do not care the least about the Ukrainian people.

They have destroyed thousands of families by sending Ukrainian men to die needlessly.

This entire war is about which side gets to keep the corruption train going in Ukraine, not to give the Ukrainian people their freedom and right to self-determination.

[Does so]

We never should have invaded Normandy...

[rbmillerjr]

Breaking News...Ukraine loses some tanks and IFVs in attack.

LOL, Never happened before in history of Russian Propaganda and by Putin butt boys.

[GranTorino]

Wake me up for the mud wrestling scene.

[Fido969]

There are a lot of similarities, delaying the offensive to build up forces, while the Russians prepared defenses in depth, and then the offensive running into those and stalling.

[Rocco DiPippo]

Bravo! You’ve nailed it!

[sauropod]

,

[Vaduz]

GOOOOOOD Morning Viet Nam