Russia boasts of its army using the image of a Spanish Leopard 2E tank

@DefAviation ES 7·18·2023 · 23:28 0

Russian propagandists seem to have some difficulty in identifying the military equipment used by their own army.

A pro-Russian propagandist attributes a Spanish aircraft carrier to the Russian Navy
The mystery of the T-14 Armata and the old tanks that Russia is sending to the front

This Monday, a propaganda account of the Russian social network VK called Третья Мировая Война< /a> (World War III) posted this photo of a billboard in the southern Russian city of Kislovodsk, with the caption: "Are you with us?" And below two tags from social networks alluding to Kislovodsk as the "city of patriots", all with the image of a Russian soldier and a tank.

Yesterday, a netizen from Estonia even identified the photo used in that campaign. This is an image of a Leopardo 2E, the Spanish variant of the Leopard 2A6, participating in a parade. The photo has been modified, for example, by placing the flag bearer in the commander's hatch, removing the coat of arms of its Division and other details.

It is a photo that has been circulating for many years through the media, social networks and even model boxes, possibly made at an Armed Forces Day parade. The tank in the photo bears the shield of the Spanish Army's Mechanized Division "Brunete" No. 1, a unit that was dissolved in 2006, becoming the Heavy Forces Command. The current Brigade "Guadarrama" XII is based in El Goloso, the base of that division.

It is understandable that Russian propaganda wanted to appropriate a Spanish tank instead of showing the tanks it is sending to the front. Indeed, a modern Leopard 2E looks much better in a photo than an old soviet T-62 or a even older T-55.

It must be remembered that in April, a pro-Russian propagandist spread a photo of the old Spanish aircraft carrier "Príncipe de Asturias" as if it were a Russian ship. The obsession that Russian propaganda has with appropriating Spanish military equipment is curious...

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Main image: Latvijas Armija.