Russian Forces Engaged Ukrainian Positions Using an Unarmed Vehicle. Such is the Fate of Our Valiant Automobiles.
Russian Forces Engaged Ukrainian Positions Using an Unarmed Vehicle. Such is the Fate of Our Valiant Automobiles.
A civilian minivan isn't the most unfortunate choice for assaulting entrenched Ukrainian troops. That title likely goes to the common bicycle.
However, don't mistake this as a guaranteed survival tactic in combat. On or before Thursday, a group of Russian infantry hopped into the back of a UAZ-452 Bukhanka and raced across an open field towards Ukrainian lines in western Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Their journey was brief. A Ukrainian drone with a first-person view zeroed in. The Bukhanka had a drone defense cage on its cab, but not the back. The drone detonated among the passengers, immobilizing the van. One survivor made a run for it. Another Russian, appearing injured, dragged himself out of the burning wreck.
This wasn't the first 3-ton Bukhanka the Ukrainians had targeted in 34 months of intense fighting since Russia widened its war on Ukraine. Analysts at Oryx have identified 122 destroyed, damaged, abandoned, and captured UAZ-452s. Most of them were transporting supplies or performing other support roles miles away from the front line.
Bukhankas used as assault vehicles are a rarity, but one that could become more prevalent as the Kremlin grapples with a growing lack of armored vehicles. On average, over the 34-month wider war, the Russians have lost about 10 armored vehicles daily.
Since the fall of a yearlong Russian counteroffensive, the loss rate has significantly increased. On a tragic day in September, analyst Andrew Perpetua recorded over 180 damaged, destroyed, and abandoned Russian vehicles and heavy weapons.
The exact number of new armored vehicles produced each month by Russian industry and the number of older vehicles the Russians can recover from long-term storage remains unknown.
But the combined total is not enough to ensure full equipment for Russian regiments and brigades. It's no surprise, then, that the Russians engage in combat using golf carts, motorcycles—and now bicycles and vans.
The outcomes for the unlucky Russians opting for unarmored vans instead of armored vehicles can be grave. One Bukhanka that survived a drone strike later hit an anti-tank mine lying in water recently. The blast was muted due to the water, but the van was a total loss. One passenger lost both legs.
"So this is how our heroic cars meet their end," a former passenger pondered. Brace yourself for more such heroic endings as Russian forces increasingly depend on non-military vehicles for military tasks.
In the context of Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the analysis by Oryx has identified 122 instances of damaged, abandoned, or captured UAZ-452 Bukhankas, many of which were used for support roles far from the front line. More recently, Russian infantry resorted to using a Bukhanka as an assault vehicle in Kursk Oblast, resulting in a drone attack that immobilized the vehicle.