Ukrainian Leopard 2 Tank Wrecks Entire Russian Armored Column In Kurakhove Ambush, Video

On November 11, a large Russian force attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses near Dalnje, south of Kurakhove, aiming to encircle Pokrovsk from the south. However, Ukraine's 33rd Mechanized Brigade, equipped with powerful German-made Leopard 2A4 tanks, blocked the assault.

According to Forbes, precise cannon fire from the brigade’s tanks quickly disabled two Russian tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and several other vehicles. A Ukrainian drone captured footage of the engagement, showing the Leopard tanks' effective resistance in action.

Ukrainian drones pursued the retreating Russian troops.

“Effective work just blows the heads off the enemies,” the 33rd Mechanized Brigade wrote.

The clash at Dalnje marked a resurgence for Ukraine’s tank forces. The proliferation of explosive drones has significantly altered tank combat tactics on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war. "Enemy and friendly drones crisscross the air space, hunting for valuable targets like heavy armor and artillery,” noted David Kirichenko from the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C., describing the new "aerial cat-and-mouse game" that has reshaped tank operations.

Now, both Russian and Ukrainian tanks frequently remain concealed in treelines, only briefly emerging to fire at distant targets—or, occasionally, to spearhead high-risk assaults like the Russian push on Dalnje, reports Forbes. As CEPA puts it, this is the new “era of the cautious tank.”