 Russia gives bonus payments to soldiers who destroy U.S. and German-made tanks in Ukraine. Russian troops, who have destroyed German-made Leopard tanks and U.S. supplied armored vehicles being used by Ukraine, will receive bonus payments, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The ministry said this was part of a wider reward scheme under which more than 10,000 Russian servicemen had received individual bonuses since the start of the war nearly 16 months ago, according to Jerusalem Post. On the basis of reports from Russian Field Commanders, payments are currently being made to servicemen of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, who in the course of military operations destroyed Leopard tanks as well as armored fighting vehicles made in the USA and other NATO countries. The Ministry said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu awarded the Hero of Russia Gold Star Medal to soldiers who Moscow said had destroyed Leopard tanks and U.S.-made Bradley fighting vehicles being used by Ukraine, which has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive. The Ministry said that up to May 31, total of 10,257 servicemen had been rewarded for destroying 16,001 items of Ukrainian and Western military equipment. An enemy armored vehicle was worth 50,000 rubles or 596 U.S. dollars, and a tank 100,000 rubles or 1,192 dollars, it said. Military pilots and air defense operators received 300,000 rubles or 3,576 U.S. dollars for every destroyed Ukrainian plane or helicopter. Hits on Tochka, you and U.S. supplied Himmars rocket launch systems were rewarded by the same amount.