Germany’s KSK Special Forces Prepare for War Against Russia

In an interview with Germany’s BILD newspaper, the commander of the Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK, Special Operations Command) elite special forces unit, Brig. Gen. Andreas Kuhne, said it was now preparing for a role in support of conventional battlefield operations against Russia. The KSK was formed in 1996, primarily to conduct hostage rescue, counter-terrorist operations, and high-risk reconnaissance beyond the capabilities of conventional military or law enforcement agencies. According to Kuhne, these operations were typically planned to be short-term, three days or less, after which the operators would return to base for “eating, showering, and doing laundry.”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. While some KSK troops were deployed to Afghanistan on operations against the Taliban, those missions also followed a similar pattern. The future enemy now “sit in the east,” the commander said. “We are very specifically focused on the opponent Russia,” he added, noting that KSK is training to prepare for a potential conventional military confrontation in which it “will have to hold out in the field for much longer, potentially indefinitely.” There have been reports that some NATO members’ special forces have already been involved in supporting Ukraine in the war that resulted from Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion which will further influence the KSK’s training. Other Topics of Interest Poland to Transfer 2 MiG-29s to Ukraine in €50 Million Aid Package One of the jets has reached the end of its service life, while the other remains airworthy, according to media reports. The UK’s Deputy Chief of Defence, Lt. Gen. Robert Magowan said in December that Royal Marines were working alongside Ukrainian government forces. In January 2024, the then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz, said British special forces were providing critical support to Storm Shadow cruise missile attacks, which Polish special forces were reportedly involved in. Training for KSK is being adapted to focus on operations in extreme cold and against Russia’s forces equipped with tanks, artillery, drones, and electronic warfare systems. It is probable that the unit will operate in advance of Germany’s conventional forces in the event of a crisis on NATO’s Eastern Flank. Kuhne told BILD that, “if the 45th Panzerbrigade in Lithuania starts its engines in an emergency, we want to have already done our job. Within four hours we will be on the plane in Stuttgart. And then we will have everything we need with us.” The strength of the KSK is thought to be around 1,500 personnel, a third of which are special forces operators – although Kuhne said the unit was currently operating at around 70-80 percent of its manpower levels. The KSK re-rolling comes amid Germany attempting to increase the size of its armed forces. The deployment of the 45th Armored Brigade to Lithuania, which was formally inaugurated in May 2025, is an indication of Berlin’s commitment to NATO and in addressing the threat from Russia. The Brigade consists of around 4,800 personnel, equipped with Leopard 2 main battle tanks, and Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles supported by PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.