As the Russian military runs out of purpose-built armored cars and turns to civilian cars (adding golf carts and motorcycles), a Russian army brigade is making motorcycle education an integral component of its school program.
“The motorcycle school exists,” wrote a Russian blogger in a recent article about the Donetsk Fifth Brigade, which fights in and around the eastern Ukraine city of Krasnohorivka. Estonian analyst War Translated kindly translated the message into English.
Don’t expect this education to particularly extend the incredibly short life expectancy of Russian cycling troops. Unarmed and unprotected, motorcycles tend to kill their riders when deployed in direct attacks on enemy positions.
The Russians began allocating gigantic quantities of Chinese and Belarusian dirt bikes to frontline troops as early as the spring. Motorcycles, along with China’s Desertcross all-terrain vehicles (golf carts, in fact) are helping to alleviate the growing shortage of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles as the wider war between Russia and Ukraine reaches its 29th month. and vehicle losses are rising.
The Russians have killed more than 16,000 armored vehicles and heavy weapons in Ukraine. It is a heavier device than many armies have in all their inventories.
Bicycle troop attack tactics are simple. They ride as fast as possible across the mine-strewn no man’s land that separates the Russian and Ukrainian lines, hoping that the small length and top speed of their mounts will help them avoid detection by Ukrainian drones.
If they manage to cross the field of mines and drones, they abandon their motorcycles and fight on foot. “A new military specialty is emerging,” writes a blogger of the moment. “Motorized policemen. “
But cycling tactics, while valid in theory, didn’t work very well in the heat and tension of genuine combat. Ukrainian mines and drones are too thick in the air and underground for even the most agile motorcyclist to avoid them.
According to analyst Andrew Perpetua, the Russians lost – destroyed, damaged or abandoned – at least 18 motorcycles in April, 80 in May and 55 in June. During a Russian attack around Vuhledar on June 28, Ukrainian mines, drones, artillery and missiles destroyed at least 19 dirt bikes, killing or maiming many motorcyclists.
Golf cart losses were smaller, according to Perpetua’s count. A failed Russian attack around July 15 ended with five ATVs on fire and their occupants dead, wounded, or in retreat.
The consensus among Russian forces turns out to be that if they can’t get enough armored vehicles and have to keep equipping their troops with golf carts and bicycles, they at least deserve to check out their tactics.
The Donetsk Fifth Brigade appears to be the first to have created a school for this purpose. “The Fifth Brigade and its motorcycle school are impressive,” the first blogger wrote, adding that other groups could simply copy the brigade’s reforms.
It is possible to think of tactical improvements that could improve the survivability of troops by bicycle. Better situational awareness and off-road driving skills could help them avoid mines. Driving at night, while tricky even with night vision goggles, can help them avoid drones, most of which lack infrared sensors.
But remember, special education didn’t help much the last time a giant army sent bikers into direct combat. The German army trained some troops for bicycle attacks in World War I. But the real effects of the fighting were “quite tragic” for the riders, according to Ends Cuoio.
“Needless to say, the idea of using motorcycles for direct combat has been abandoned,” Cuoio concludes. But forever. More than a hundred years later, attack motorcycles have made a comeback and are likely to remain here while Russian brigades formalize the education of their riders.
Even with a little more training, the final results for Russian motorcycle troops will most likely still be tragic.
Sources:
1. War translated: https://x. com/wartranslated/status/1815025338864333037; https://x. com/wartranslated/status/1812416095694778468
2. Andrés Perpetua: https://x. com/bentanmy/status/1807648466182750403
3. Finish Curio: https://www. endscuoio. com/military-motorcycles-in-world-war-one/?v=7516fd43adaa
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