Elite Ukrainian brigade makes gains with German Marder IFVs in Kursk region

The 82nd Ukrainian Air Assault Brigade, equipped with German infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) Marder 1A3, is fighting in the Kursk region. Intense combat is currently occurring towards Glushkovo, where, for instance, a burning Marder 1A3 IFV can be seen. Here’s what characterises this legendary Bundeswehr vehicle.

The Ukrainians have deployed forces to the Kursk region, consisting of elite brigades equipped with Western equipment. After initially surprising the Russians and seizing a large territory, the situation stabilised, and further territorial gains have become more arduous.

Currently, the Ukrainians seem to aim at taking territory west of Sudzha because, after destroying bridges on the Sejm River and methodically destroying pontoon bridges constantly being set up by the Russians, this is the easiest direction. The Russians have significant supply issues there.

Regrettably, the battles are not without losses, so photos or videos of damaged or destroyed Ukrainian equipment appear online. Below is a burning Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicle, which is the first or one of the first German vehicles burning in the Kursk region since World War II.

Schützenpanzer Marder 1 (from German "infantry fighting vehicle marten") was developed in the 1960s in Germany and was a pioneering design similar to the BMP-1 on the Russian side.

The breakthrough was the development of an enclosed and heavily armed, well-armoured platform at a time when the norm was only lightly armoured transporters meant to deliver infantry to a location and then leave. Meanwhile, the Marder 1 and the BMP-1 developed in the USSR could actively support the transported infantry and engage tanks under favourable conditions.

Three soldiers operated the Marder 1, and its rear section could accommodate a seven-person armoured infantry squad. A distinctive feature was that the Marder had an unmanned turret mounted on a Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh-202 automatic cannon of 20 mm calibre with an effective range of up to 2.5 kilometres. Due to double-sided belt feeding, ammunition could be quickly changed from fragmentation to anti-tank.

Additionally, the turret was equipped with an MG3 machine gun and a Milan anti-tank guided missile launcher, which could pierce 70 centimetres of armour at a distance of up to 2 kilometres.

Today's popular unmanned turret design positions the entire crew in the hull, increasing the chances of survival if the turret is hit. On the other hand, access to the weaponry was difficult, complicating the removal of jams. The crew member must exit and fix the issues through inspection hatches in such cases.

All these features made the Marder a very costly vehicle used exclusively by the Bundeswehr. Only after the end of the Cold War, due to budget cuts in Germany, were some of the approximately 2,000 Marders produced sold to other countries.

Ukraine has received around 80 Marders in the 1A3 standard, meaning they underwent modifications in the 1990s. These included reinforced armour and equipping the gunner with a thermal sight, making this relic of the Cold War still useful in the new realities of the war.

The Ukrainians value them highly because they can withstand much more than the post-Soviet BMPs and provide good side protection. Furthermore, in case of a successful hit, the crew has a high chance of survival and can continue fighting in a new vehicle.