ST. PETERSBURG, June 15. /TASS/. The acting head of the Lugansk People’s Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, has not yet received any reports regarding the presence of Leopard 2 tanks near Lugansk.

"I had no reports on Leopard 2 tanks. I know that this type of equipment was actively used near Zaporozhye," he told TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) when asked whether the Ukrainian army was using tanks of this type near Lugansk.

Pasechnik noted that these tanks, despite their reputation, "burn well."

"Some myth has been created about the invincibility of this type of weapon. It has nothing to do with reality. Thermobaric munitions burn them, as well as anti-tank guided missiles, and helicopter gunships. There are weapons that destroy this type of hardware," Pasechnik added.

The Ukrainian armed forces are using Leopard tanks in a so-called counterattack, which began on June 4. The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly reported the destruction of tanks of this type. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 13 that Kiev had already lost more than 160 different tanks and more than 360 armored vehicles.

The 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the largest annual economic and business event in Russia, is running on June 14-17. The theme of this year's forum is "Sovereign Development as a Basis for a Just World: Joining Forces for Future Generations". The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is its official media partner.