Azov Brigade Receives Leopard Tanks

The National Guard’s 12th Special Purpose Brigade Azov of the 1st Azov Corps has received Western-made Leopard tanks, according to information found by MilitaryLand contributor Fisken on the recruiting platform LobbyX. The portal currently lists vacancies within the brigade for Leopard tank crews, including drivers, gunners, and commanders.

The transfer of Leopard tanks to the National Guard was officially announced in May 2025 by National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko. At the time, he stated that the Guard had received both Leopard 1A5 and Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks. Leopard 1A5 tanks have already been observed in service with the Rubizh Brigade. Unless additional Leopard 1A5 vehicles were delivered beyond those previously reported, this suggests that the Azov Brigade may have received Leopard 2A4 tanks.

The presence of Leopard 2A4 tank was also noted on October 10, 2025, when a vehicle bearing hull number 207 was spotted during a National Guard tank competition. The unit affiliation of the tank was not disclosed. While it is likely that the vehicle belonged to the Azov Brigade, this cannot be confirmed with certainty.