Russians hit another Stridsvagn 122, one of Ukraine's best tanks
The Stridsvagn 122 tanks from Sweden, which Ukraine received some time ago, are currently the finest armored units in Kyiv's arsenal. Yet, for the third time this quarter, another Stridsvagn 122 has been rendered inactive by enemy forces. However, this tank may be salvageable.
2:26 PM EDT, November 1, 2023
Detailed information about a successful attack on a Stridsvagn 122 being used by the Ukrainians was posted on the X platform by Jaroslaw Wolski, a Polish civilian analyst who regularly comments on the military situation in Ukraine. The enemy successfully hit one of the tanks lent to Ukraine's defenders by Sweden. As part of the battlefield reinforcement, Sweden deployed 10 upgraded versions of the German Leopard 2 A5 tank in July 2023.
One of Ukraine's most armored tanks
The Stridsvagn 122 is a main battle tank of Swedish origin equipped with advanced composite armor and a modern fire control system. Made on a Leopard 2 A5 license, the Swedish industry turned out these innovative machines from 1994 to 2001. They incorporated numerous design modifications like a smoothbore L/44 gun with a 120 mm caliber, as well as two MG3A1 machine guns with a 7.62 mm caliber.
The Swedes customized the Leopard to meet their specific needs, such as strengthening the turret roof and replacing the driver's observation device with a home-produced one. They also ensured fuel tank security and incorporated systems to cut the engine's air supply upon detection of unwanted substances, thus offering protection against potential threats like a Molotov cocktail attack on the radiator. Sweden recently confirmed further modernization of this design is underway. Experts regard the Strv.122 as one of the best, and most highly armored, tanks deployed in Ukraine.
Third confirmed loss
As seen in the video posted on X, this is the third Strv.122 loss within a quarter. The likely weapon used was a Russian anti-tank missile Kornet, which is laser-guided.
In his post, the analyst affirmed that this loss is reversible. It means that after some necessary repairs, the tank could be returned to service. The video shows that the crew survived the hit and safely evacuated the damaged machine. The initial strong explosion is presumably due to the detonation of ammunition stored in an isolated magazine in the turret. If the fire didn't spread throughout the vehicle, restoration could be relatively swift.
