Russian Soldier Rewarded for Shooting Missile that Crippled Leopard-1A5 Tank

Russia’s West group of troops who annihilated a Leopard 1A5 tank in Kupyansk were rewarded for the action.

Captured on camera, the footage displays a precise hit on the German armored vehicle, the "Leopard," courtesy of the first shot from an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM). The Leopard, recently acquired by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, met its demise within seconds as a second missile struck, rendering the tank useless.

This technique, referred to as a "German miracle" in Ukraine, has only recently been deployed on the frontline. The Kupyansk operation marked its debut, orchestrated by the soldiers operating the anti-tank missile system, identified by their call signs "Peter" and "Yakut."

Expressing surprise, the crew member with the call sign "Yakut" shared, "It was unexpected for me. There in the distance, it’s not even clear what kind of tank it is, you just see that it’s some kind of equipment, armored vehicles. And when they found out that it was ‘Leopard,’ I was surprised."

The fighters were awarded the prestigious "For Courage" medals and a certificate valued at 700,000 rubles.

On this day, 15 more military personnel from the "Western" group of forces were honored with various state awards, including Orders of Courage, Crosses of St. George, and medals "For Bravery."

Germany has committed to supply over 100 Leopard tanks to Kyiv.

In February, the German Defense Ministry announced its collaboration with Denmark and the Netherlands to contribute "at least" 100 refurbished Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine. These 42-ton diesel-powered tanks were decommissioned by Germany in the 2000s.