The German-made Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles are ill-equipped for the intense battles taking place in Donbass. Their lack of maneuverability in the spring mud is a major hindrance, making them unsuitable for the harsh conditions of the ongoing conflict. A Russian serviceman, who was part of the team that captured the first Marder as a trophy, attests to the fact that these vehicles fail to adapt to the terrain and the demands of the battle zone.
“Its ability to traverse cross-country is shoddy, in addition it lacks cargo trailers, as well as rubber cushions... It [the Marder IFV] is designed to move on hard ground, on paved roadways, possibly on sandy roads, but it navigates very poorly on muddy terrain,” he stated.
The Marder IFV, which was designed during the Cold War era, is able to carry up to ten servicemen, armed with a 20-mm RH 202 automatic cannon and a 7.62-mm MG3 machine gun.
According to a recent article in the National Interest publication, Ukraine has turned into a “dumping ground” or junkyard for the West's weaponry. Moreover, Russian officials have repeatedly cautioned that Western arm supplies to the Kiev regime would only escalate the conflict and in no way would it slow down Moscow's special military operation.
Western arms supplied to Ukraine have become prized trophies for Russian soldiers and provide a great amount of valuable technical information for Russian scientists and engineers who meticulously study the samples gathered on the battlefield.