25 Tanks And Fighting Vehicles, Gone In A Blink: The Ukrainian Defeat Near Mala Tokmachka Was Worst Than We Thought https://t.co/tx2iFRoxep pic.twitter.com/XJUQB2vcPT
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 29, 2023
Ukrainian and Western sources discounted reports of serious losses of armored vehicles in the mechanized assault Ukraine began on June 8th south of Mala Tokmachka in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Now Forbes reports on the outcome.
“In a bloody hour or two, the 47th-33rd Brigade battlegroup lost nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s M-2s, a fifth of its Leopard 2A6s and half its Leopard 2Rs. The United States promptly pledged more than enough extra M-2s to make good the June 8 losses, but Ukraine’s European allies have yet to pony up more Leopard 2A6s. And there literally aren’t any more Leopard 2Rs.”
What seems clear is that mine clearing equipment being used by the Ukrainians is not completely effective. And with the density of the Russian minefields this becomes a critical problem. So this seems to eliminate the rapid mechanized assault that NATO planned for the Ukrainian “spring” offensive.
“No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”
The US can send MICLIC mine clearance. Worked well against massive minefields Saddam laid.
The Russians would knock that out to.
Not as easily as you’d think. Artillery is also an excellent anti-tank mine clearance method. Especially DPICM. And the M1 has an attachable mine clearance plow/beater that has proven reliable. Mines slow down modern warfare, not stop it. At least with competent leadership and tactics, that is. The Russkies have suffered far more from Ukranian/allied mines than the Ukranians have from Russian mines.