Returning to frontline, Ukrainian Leopard crews see their 'cat' as game-changer

Ukrainian soldiers stand around toy tanks while being trained on Leopard 2 tanks by German army Bundeswehr at the northern German shooting and training range of Bergen, Germany, in this handout picture obtained by Reuters on March 13, 2023. Bundeswehr/Handout via REUTERS

BERGEN TRAINING GROUND, Germany (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops fired the 120mm guns of their Leopard tanks at a German shooting range on Monday, a few days before they were due to return home with the "cats" they hope will give Kyiv a breakthrough in what has become a grinding war of attrition.

Muzzle flashes could be seen, and dust clouds where the shells hit the ground, as four tanks fought their way through a muddy dip to what was marked as an enemy position two kilometres away, destroying wooden pop-up targets as they rattled along.