Russia's daring use of bikes in Ukraine: Strategy or folly?
The war in Ukraine is full of astonishing scenes that seem more suited to action movies than reality. One such scene is the assaults by Russians on motorcycles attacking Ukrainian defensive positions, also attempting to use electric bicycles. We explain the reasons behind these actions and their effects.
It's not just Ukrainians who face a shortage of military equipment; Russians also lack infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers needed to transport soldiers. They even employ tanks that look like barns as makeshift transports.
Another method used to reach their defensive positions or as close as possible to enemy fortifications is motorcycles. While this mode of movement might make some sense in the first instance, in the second, it's simply a suicide mission.
This issue is also raised by "war correspondent" Andrey Filatov, working for Russia Today, who, apart from criticizing the Russian commander in that region, advises using electric bicycles, which are quieter and less "visible" in thermal imaging.
Motorcycles and electric bicycles in war
Motorcycles, buggies, and electric bicycles are very useful modes of transportation across Ukrainian wilderness areas, which, during the spring and autumn seasons, become literal swamps. The plus side is the speed, which makes it difficult to hit the traveller, for instance, by artillery, but on the downside, these modes of transportation do not provide any protection.
Moreover, a significant drawback of buggies or motorcycles with combustion engines is that they generate a lot of noise audible from several kilometres away and have a high thermal signature easily picked up by drones with thermal cameras.
For this reason, both Ukrainians and some Russians, including Filatov, use electric bicycles. They have sufficient range and speed while generating very low thermal and acoustic signatures.
Additionally, their batteries can also serve as power banks, providing the ability to charge electronic equipment in the field, where access to electricity is a luxury.
