Former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter said Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) soldiers deliberately undermine or disable Leopard tanks in order to avoid direct confrontation with the Russian army. Ritter made the announcement on the US Tour of Duty YouTube channel.

"Those who drive the Leopard tank give back - to the mines - and are blown up. Or they break it on purpose," said the former intelligence officer.
 
Ritter also noted that Western countries attached great importance to Leopard tanks in the hope that they could change the course of the conflict. However, the Russian military has no difficulty destroying such military equipment.

This statement comes amid reports from the Russian Defense Ministry that military units of the Vostok group of the Russian Armed Forces seized Western military equipment of Ukrainian troops, including German Leopard tanks and American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, during the fighting in the Zaporozhye direction.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently commented on the situation, talking about the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, the Russian military has already "pricked" 245 enemy tanks and approximately 678 armored vehicles of various types. He stressed that both Leopard tanks and French wheeled armored vehicles and American armored vehicles "burn for a sweet soul."