First Loss of British Challenger Tank in Ukraine

A Challenger 2 main battle tank supplied by the British was destroyed by Russian forces in Ukraine, marking the first known instance of this tank type being taken out by an enemy.

Footage shared on social media depicted the tank in flames near the Zaporizhzhia village of Robotyne. While experts identified the tank as a Challenger 2, they couldn't confirm whether it was damaged beyond repair.

The first NATO-standard main battle tanks supplied to Ukraine were the Challenger 2 tanks.

Armed with Challenger 2, Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade cracked the formidable "Surovikin line," a defensive barrier erected by the former Russian invasion commander to safeguard the land route to Crimea.

The circumstances surrounding the destruction of the Challenger remain unclear, with possibilities including artillery fire, anti-tank missiles, or deliberate scuttling to prevent Russian capture.

The UK had supplied Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 tanks to aid in countering the Russian invasion. These 62.5-tonne tanks had previously seen service with the British Army in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq.

Additionally, it's reported that the first ten American M1 Abrams tanks are en route to Ukraine.