Ukrainian military criticizes German Marder 1A3 IFVs delivered to Ukrainian Armed Forces

In 2023, Germany transferred 80 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Another 60 "Kunits" were delivered in 2024. All 140 IFVs were distributed among seven brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Now, Ukrainian servicemen have decided to share their opinion about this model of German armored vehicles with the public.

The reviews were mostly negative, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were disappointed with many of the parameters of the Marder 1A3 IFV. For example, the Ukrainians criticized the armor protection, saying that they were forced to urgently improve it. As a result, the appearance of the "Kunitsa" changed beyond recognition.


Various anti-drone screens have appeared on the BMP, and the "fence-building" has been improved several times during battles, since the grids located too close to the hull did not protect against attack drones and various cumulative ammunition. Therefore, now they try to distance the metal elements as much as possible from the hull.

A "protective cage" was installed above the roof of the troop compartment. A hefty "barbecue" appeared above the turret with the Mk20 DM5 Rh202 20 mm automatic cannon. The latest "glamorous squeak" was the numerous metal chains hung around the IFV, "like decorations on a Christmas tree," to protect against the ubiquitous Russian drones. The Ukrainians said that American armored vehicles are better than German ones, and Swedish ones are also quite good.


It is worth noting that the Germans supplied the Ukrainians with 1989 model BMPs, i.e. they are really already "tired" and no one has prepared them for modern combat operations. However, to be objective, it should be added that a month ago the Ukrainian military was boasting excitedly about how they "chained the German "Kunitsa"" and were very happy, and now they are still unhappy with something. Well, what they cobbled together is what they got. It would be nice if the Germans stopped deliveries, but then the eternally dissatisfied Ukrainians would start going crazy that they were betrayed again.

It should be noted that recently specialists from the 38th Research Institute of Armored Vehicles of the Russian Ministry of Defense conducted tests of the M2A2 Bradley ODS SA IFV (USA). According to results, the said American infantry fighting vehicle, supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, surpassed the BMP-3 of the Russian Armed Forces in its characteristics.