What is the German Military’s Perspective on the Kursk Offensive?

While speaking on the German military informational program "Nachgefragt," Major General Dr. Christian Freuding, the head of the German Ministry of Defense's Special Staff Ukraine and former commander of the 9th Panzerlehr Brigade, provided a unique perspective on how the Bundeswehr views Ukraine's ongoing offensive campaign inside Russia's Kursk Oblast, as well as other other developments along the front in Ukraine..The full video can be viewed here (with English subtitles)..Kursk SITREP.While speaking to German Captain Jan Czarnitzki, Freuding stated that after an initial push into Kursk, Ukrainian forces are now operating along four axes inside Russian territory. While exact figures on the number of Ukrainian forces committed to this operation remain unclear, Freuding described the Ukrainian strength as four brigades, roughly four to six thousand soldiers. These forces operating inside Russia are also supported by an additional two to four thousand troops inside Ukraine's Sumy region in logistics, air defense, and long-range fires support..Freuding described the operation as 65km wide, with advancements going as deep as 30km into Russian territory. He estimated that the total area in which Ukrainian forces are operating, not controlling, is around 1,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of ground lost to Russian forces in Ukraine since the beginning of the year..Freuding credited Ukrainian reconnaissance efforts, stating that the terrain was favorable for such operations and that Russia was bolstering the region's border defenses with poorly trained reserve forces. He also added that the German military is aware that the Ukrainians took a high "three-digit" number of POWs, mostly conscripts..Russia is trying to counter Ukrainian operations with infantry, armor, and special forces. "Armor has been introduced and deployed on a massive scale here too, as well as close air support," Freuding stated. However, efforts to effectively counter the Ukrainian operations have remained unsuccessful..Ukrainian Intentions.When asked by Czarnitzki about Ukraine's intentions, Freuding laid out three main points:.Create relief: Ukrainian defensive lines in Donetsk are under "immense pressure," and this is a "targeted relief attack."Psychological impact: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently stated, "Russia brought war to others, and now it is coming home." Freuding described how the operation could show the Ukrainian population that they are in a position to go on the offensive against the Russians.Leverage: Kursk could become a political bargaining chip if Ukraine is able to hold the area long-term..Russian Response.Czarnitzki then asked if we should expect to see some form of Russian counter-reaction, such as an offensive in response to the incursion..Freuding explained, "We saw immediately at the beginning that the Russian forces are able to react when the Ukrainians advance. There was an attempt to counterattack." However, the Ukrainians were able to repel this and effectively destroy Russian reinforcements as they approached. This was seen in Ukrainian HIMARS strikes against Russian reinforcement columns. Russian counterattacks are expected..Freuding also stated that Russia has hardly withdrawn any forces committed to the Donbas frontlines, which remain the primary focus of the war effort. This comes as CNN, citing US officials, reported that Russian forces have shifted "multiple brigade-sized elements made up of at least 1,000 troops each" from Ukraine to counter operations in Kursk. Likewise, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told CNN that the "Russian military is diverting some resources, some units, towards the Kursk Oblast to ostensibly counter what the Ukrainians are doing.".Czarnitzki also asked if we expect to see other Ukrainian offensive operations along the border. While we have seen limited operations by the Ukrainians over the border in Belgorod, they have not occurred at the scale seen in Kursk. Freuding said that Ukrainians have "regained the initiative and can prepare for others.".Donbas SITREP.The topic of conversation shifted to the situation on the ground along the frontlines in Ukraine, with Czarnitzki asking if there have been any advances by the Russians or if the Russians are now in a position to pull back operations to focus on Kursk..Freuding reiterated that the primary focus of the Russians remains in the Donbas and that neither side is withdrawing significant manpower from the frontline to aid in Kursk operations..He explained how the Avdiivka and Chasiv Yar fronts are central at the moment as Ukrainian forces continue to face a "critical situation in the area." Freuding stated that the Russians are succeeding in advancing in these areas every day through small but steady gains..Focusing on Chasiv Yar specifically, Russian forces have been able to form multiple bridgeheads and cross the canal. Despite well-developed defensive positions, the Ukrainians have been unable to push Russian forces back to the eastern side of the canal..Freuding warned that if the Russians succeed in taking Chasiv Yar, it will open the door to further advancements westward, with the Ukrainians continuing to be outflanked in the area, forcing them to straighten defensive lines and reposition troops..The question was then raised whether it would have made more sense to deploy the forces currently being used in Kursk to bolster defenses in eastern Ukraine. At the start of the incursion, some Ukrainian military sources were critical of the move, arguing that the operation could waste valuable manpower and resources. Freuding argued that Ukraine is well aware of the risk, but an opportunity to "take the initiative" was presented and acted upon. He added that Ukraine could gain "considerable momentum if this operation is carried out successfully.".Air Power and Air Defense.It was then asked how NATO-supplied F-16 fighters might come into play, now that they have been delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force..Freuding said that he does not agree with the "game-changer" argument associated with Western-supplied equipment, such as tanks, artillery, and air defense systems. He explained how these systems have specific roles. The F-16 can serve both an air defense and a direct support role for frontline combat operations..He added that Russia has offered bounties for the destruction of F-16s, so this will likely force Ukraine to change airfields with every flight to avoid being targeted. This, however, will strain logistics and the ability to effectively conduct maintenance..He speculated that the F-16's greatest effect will come in countering Russian glide bomb attacks, such as upgraded FAB-500 and FAB-3000 bombs. Russian glide bombs, often launched from Russian Su-34/35 fighter-bombers, have a typical range of 60-90km to strike Ukrainian forces along the Forward Line of Own Troops (FLOT). F-16s, armed with Western-supplied AIM-120s, will have an effective range of 100km and can act against glide bomb carriers..Freuding also noted that Russian air defense capabilities have been "significantly" reduced by targeted attacks on missile batteries and command centers..With that, Czarnitzki asked about Ukraine's air defense capabilities, considering that Russia is able to strike critical infrastructure on a regular basis. He also asked if "the pressure" by the Ukrainians is noticeable in reducing strikes, and Freuding replied "no," stating that despite Ukraine being supplied with additional air defense capabilities, Russian strikes have continued unabated. He added that Ukrainian air defenses remain a weak point that the Russians are exploiting..Tactical Notes.In a bit of a topic switch, Czarnitzki asked about Freuding's tactical perspective on the increased use of buggies and motorbikes along the front by Russian forces. Freuding stated that the tactic is "not born out of necessity" as Russia still has vast supplies of armored vehicles. He added that the production and recovery rate by the Russians replaces the failure rate of most combat vehicles..He then argued that this shift can be described as action versus reaction in terms of drone warfare development. The shift to the use of buggies and motorbikes is a type of unit isolation to cut down on casualties caused by explosive drones (i.e a unit is taken out while riding in a single vehicle). "At the beginning of the war, we saw strong massing of forces, then came the drone developments, and now we are seeing isolation on the battlefield," he explained..We have seen, however, relentless targeting of Russian forces on motorcycles and buggies by Ukrainian FPV drones. As previously reported, Russian forces have adapted to countering drones by equipping troops with shotguns..Conclusion.Major General Dr. Christian Freuding's insights provide a unique perspective of how Germany views Ukraine's ongoing operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast, which is viewed as a strategic offensive designed to alleviate pressure on Ukrainian defensive lines, boost morale, and potentially create political leverage. While this operation has drawn criticism for potentially stretching Ukraine's resources thin, Freuding argues that it also presents an opportunity to shift the momentum of the conflict. However, the situation in Donbas remains critical, with Russian forces steadily advancing despite well-established Ukrainian defenses..As the conflict progresses, the introduction of NATO-supplied equipment like F-16s may offer Ukraine a much-needed edge in countering Russian air assaults, though Freuding remains cautious about labeling them a "game changer." Likewise, Ukraine and Russia are continuing to face challenges with air defense capabilities as strikes from either side largely go unabated. Additionally, evolving battlefield tactics, such as the use of buggies and motorbikes, underscore the adaptive nature of modern warfare as both sides react to advancements in drone technology and shifting combat dynamics..In short, the situation remains fluid. Freuding believes Ukraine is carrying out a calculated risk with its operations in Kursk, however, it must not jeopardize its ability to maintain and adapt defensive strategies in critical areas such as the Donbas.