Moscow [Russia], April 28: The Russian military is reportedly planning to increase the use of small squads of motorcycles and four-wheelers on the front lines in Ukraine when planning new attacks, according to CNN.
The Russian Defense Ministry on April 26 released a video showing units practicing tactics in groups of two or three motorcycles, according to CNN on April 27.
Russian forces have been using motorcycles and four-wheelers in some frontline areas in an effort to avoid Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for more than a year. However, the Institute for the Study of War (US) said that the latest Russian video "indicates that the Russian military is likely developing a tactical doctrine for the use of systematic attack motorcycles and may be preparing for an increase in the use of motorcycles".
Ukraine expects Russia to launch a major offensive in the next few months as Moscow tries to gain more control of territory before any ceasefire, according to CNN.
A Ukrainian commander named Andriy Otchenash recently claimed that Russian soldiers' motorcycles were designed for a blitzkrieg. "This shows that the enemy does not have a lot of military offensive equipment, but on the other hand, it is an adaptation to the conditions of the conflict," the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications said.
On April 26, the Ukrainian military announced it had repelled a Russian attack on the village of Bahatyr on the front line in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, destroying 15 motorcycles and killing about 40 Russian soldiers, according to CNN. The Ukrainian military has also released a video of UAVs destroying several motorcycles in an open countryside.
Earlier in February, the Ukrainian military announced that Russian forces had used more four-wheeled vehicles around the city of Chasiv Yar, also in Donetsk.
Ukrainian military spokesman Pavlo Shamshyn said that the use of motorcycles is both a blessing and a risk for the Russian army. The speed and maneuverability of the motorcycles helped them avoid Ukrainian UAVs, but the noise of the vehicles made it impossible for the driver to hear the UAVs.
Meanwhile, the Russian press has promoted the advantages of motorcycle units. Last week, RT reported on motorcyclists planting mines and interviewed a soldier from the 39th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade. This person participated in serving in a new motorcycle group.
"Our main advantage is that we can drive straight into the opponent's position and neutralize them," the person stressed, adding that the other side "heard the roar of the motorcycle and that caused them to panic. They can just leave their position and run away."
The Russian military is also using motorcycles to evacuate the wounded. Last week, the Telegram account of the Zvezda TV channel of the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian marines fighting in Kursk Oblast used off-road motorcycles to evacuate civilians and wounded soldiers.
There is no information about Russia's reaction to the above statement from the Ukrainian side as well as the comments from the Institute for the Study of War.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
