Kiev’s forces have reportedly used Marder infantry fighting vehicles in their cross-border incursion
German-made armored vehicles are once again rolling through the fields of Russia’s Kursk Region, nearly 80 years after one of the largest battles of World War II took place in the same area, according to a report by Bild on Thursday. The German tabloid, citing online videos, stated that several Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) were seen among the equipment utilized by the Ukrainian military in their offensive, which began early Tuesday.
Bild pointed to footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry, which shows IFVs being destroyed by Russian kamikaze drones. On Thursday morning, the ministry published a clip depicting the destruction of at least three Marder vehicles by Russian Lancet drones, among other attacks on Ukrainian military equipment. The armored vehicles were hit while moving along dirt roads and through a wooded area.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bild journalist Julian Ropcke stated that all three Marders “fell victim” to Russian strikes just a few kilometers from the border. He claimed that Ukrainian forces had deployed them into battle “without adequate air defense.”
The news of German-made weapons being used in an attack on Russia’s internationally recognized territory has elicited mixed reactions in Germany. Markus Faber, head of the German parliament’s Defense Committee, stated he had no objections to the development. He told the Funke Media Group that any weapons handed over to Kiev cease to be German and become Ukrainian property. He also described the territories of both Ukraine and Russia as a “war zone.”
“This is a highly dangerous development,” said Sahra Wagenknecht, head of the newly formed BSW Party and a former Left Party leader. She added that Chancellor Olaf Scholz should contact the Ukrainian leadership and “demand that no German weapons be used in [attacks] on Russian territory.” Back in 1943, Soviet troops clashed with Nazi forces on the fields of the Kursk Region in what became known as the Battle of Kursk. It was one of the deadliest episodes of World War II and one of the largest tank battles in history.
Nazi Germany aimed to achieve victory at the time by deploying its then brand-new armored vehicles, including Panther and Tiger tanks, as well as Ferdinand tank destroyers. The battle, involving thousands of tanks on both sides, ended with Soviet forces inflicting a defeat on the Nazi troops.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, up to 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been involved in the incursion into Kursk Region this week, supported by armor that included several US-made Stryker armored fighting vehicles, as well as artillery and drones.
Since the beginning of their operation, Kiev’s forces have lost approximately 660 soldiers and 82 armored vehicles, including eight tanks, 12 armored personnel carriers, and six infantry fighting vehicles, according to estimates provided by the ministry on Thursday. Moscow’s forces have successfully stalled the Ukrainian troops’ offensive and prevented them from advancing deeper into the region, Russian authorities have stated.