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How Ukraine Leopard tank breakthrough opens new offensive options for Kyiv

27th January 2023 - 17:30 GMT | by Sam Hart in London

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Ukraine is set to receive multiple different sub-variants of the Leopard 2 from a range of donor countries within NATO. (Photo: KMW)

With donations of Leopard 2, Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine all now confirmed, Shephard Defence Insight analyses the implications for the conflict and the NATO nations supplying Kyiv with MBTs.

Spanning over ten versions and sub-variants, the Leopard 2 from Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has been the tank of choice for much of Europe since its development in the 1970s. From Germany, across Central Europe, and all the way to the Ukrainian border in Slovakia and Poland, approximately 3,000 Leopard 2s are in service across 14 countries.

Featuring a 120mm NATO smoothbore cannon, hunter-killer capability, and ESW-Extel Systems all-electric gun control equipment, it is little surprise that the long-awaited announcement of Leopard 2 donations to Ukraine from across Europe has provoked such a stir. With a proven record equal to

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