Russian soldiers captured German Leopard tank for the first time

During the battles for Avdiivka, the most modern German tank "Leopard 2A6" was captured by Russian soldiers. This is the first tank that Russia was able to capture out of 18 Leopard 2 tanks imported from Germany. According to BulgarianMilitary media outlet, some Ukrainian resources have acknowledged the loss. The German publication, Bild, also confirmed the loss.
According to Bild, 18 Leopard 2A6 tanks delivered by Germany to Ukraine, and this is the first proven instance of a tank being captured by the Russians since the deliveries began.
The Leopard 2A6 is one of the latest versions of the renowned German tank. Germany is currently developing the next two iterations – the Leopard 2A7, which has its customers mainly in the Hungarian army, and the Leopard 2A8, which remains somewhat of a mystery. However, Italy has expressed a strong desire to acquire hundreds of these units. Germany also plans to include the 2A8 version in its own army.
According to Russian resources, the captured Leopard 2A6 is fully operational. The tank features side hatches, but the so-called cage atop the dome is notably absent. The grills on the side of the turret are designed to deflect some of the explosive force of an incoming anti-tank missile.
These sources assert that the tank was seized while fighting near Avdiivka. According to Russian reports, the tank was ambushed by a small Russian platoon, an action that compelled the Ukrainian tank crew to abandon their vehicle. As reported by the German publication Bild, the German Ministry of Defense is deeply invested in monitoring the status of the Leopard tanks they delivered to Ukraine. German journalists claim that a significant portion of the total 18 tanks shipped to Ukraine required frequent repairs at specialized bases.