Russian army's surprising shortages: Cyclists lead the charge
The war in Ukraine is full of peculiar events that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. One such incident involves a Russian cyclist leading the way for a BMP-1/2 infantry fighting vehicle.
Below, you can watch a recording of stunned Russians at the command post, observing one of the attacks via drone. They are shocked that there is a cyclist at the front line, followed by the BMP-1/2 infantry fighting vehicle.
It's hard to say how this situation came about, but considering the level of discipline currently being enforced in the Russian military, such as starving rebellious soldiers for a few days in pits or even executing them for disobedience, this situation may be plausible. For example, there might have been insufficient space left in the BMP-1/2 for all the soldiers in the assault group, forcing one soldier to ride a bicycle.
The Russian army after nearly three years of war — "human wave attacks," civilian vehicles, and significant shortages
After nearly three years, the Russian military has nearly degraded to the level of warlords in Third World countries. Currently, the main tactic of the Russians is sending masses of infantry to the enemy's positions (commonly referred to as "human wave attacks") and bombarding the Ukrainian defensive points with artillery or guided FAB bombs with UMPK modules dropped by aircraft.
Only after such preparatory work are mechanized and armoured units sent in. This tactic has proven to be quite effective, mainly due to insufficient help from the West and manpower shortages on the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainians have difficulty replenishing their losses with new soldiers except for a few units.
The Russians lack armoured equipment because deep storage warehouses, or rather strategic junkyards of Soviet-era equipment have already been practically cleared out, and by 2025, the Russian industry will not have enough shells for refurbishment. It's already evident that in the case of artillery Russia is reaching for equipment from North Korea because local reserves are simply lacking.
Meanwhile, the Russians are patching up the shortages in armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles by using old tanks encased in scrap metal, with space for troops just behind the turret. Another option is using buggies or motorcycles from the Chinese market.
Moreover, the entire logistics behind the front lines, after huge truck losses, is being carried out much like the Ukrainians, using civilian vehicles, often funded through donations. The UAZ-452 Buchanka minibuses are particularly valued for their decent off-road capabilities and good loading capacity.
