The Battle for Tanks: Social Media, Russian Optimism, and Ukrainian Losses

Social media pundits are tracking the losses of the Leopard 2 main battle tank in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The destruction of the first Leopard 2 was confirmed this week, along with other armored vehicles, during an unsuccessful attempt to breach Russian defenses. While some "armchair generals" suggest that the Western-made vehicles won't be the magic bullet Kyiv was hoping for, losses are to be expected in war. The Dutch-based open-source website Oryx has been tracking losses on both sides without much commentary.