Ukrainian forces seize 74 settlements with German equipment’s help
Ukrainians have been conducting a military operation on Russian territory for several days. Everything is progressing almost like clockwork. Russian soldiers prefer to surrender and be taken prisoner rather than die on the front line. German equipment also plays a role in the Kursk region.
6:58 AM EDT, August 14, 2024
On Tuesday, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrski, informed President Volodymyr Zelensky that 74 settlements in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation are under Ukrainian control.
Armed Forces groups continue operations in the Kursk region. Today, our troops have advanced in various directions by one to two miles. We have taken control of 15 square miles, and today 74 points are under our control. Battles are raging along the entire front line; considering the high intensity of hostilities, the situation is under control," he said.
German equipment also plays its role in the Kursk region as it is precisely the equipment that Ukrainian soldiers are using.
German equipment defeated the Russians
The German newspaper Spiegel reported on this. German journalists emphasized, "The weapons supplied by Germany may have been used in a surprise attack by the Ukrainian army on Russian territory in the Kursk region. Specifically, Marder infantry fighting vehicles."
Marder, designed in Germany in the 1960s, was the first new-generation NATO infantry fighting vehicle. Similar to the BMP-1 developed by the USSR in the same period, the Marder was a revolutionary design.
The main gun allows for engaging targets at distances of up to 1.5 miles, and thanks to the Milan-guided anti-tank missiles, tanks can be engaged at distances of up to 1.2 miles. This made them very expensive vehicles, but they have been continuously modernized throughout decades of service.
The 1A3 versions that reached Ukraine resulted from 1990s upgrades, including reinforced armor and a thermal sight for the gunner.
It is worth emphasizing that this vehicle offers greater functionality and crew protection than the Russian BMP-1/2 series.