Russian reliance on unmarked roads causes daily casualties
At the outset of the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region, the Russians responded with considerable disarray. Consequently, some of the decisions made are now resulting in up to 40 fatalities daily.
Initially, in addition to forming military units from all available resources, the Russians fortified roads as far as 25 miles from the front lines.
It has now become evident that these hastily constructed fortifications are poorly mapped and inadequately marked. This, combined with high-speed night driving without lights, is causing numerous fatal accidents. Russian channels on Telegram are even reporting up to 40 soldier deaths per day.
Night-time vehicle raids near the front line — the only chance of survival
It is noteworthy that the Russians use civilian vehicles, particularly UAZ-452 Buchanka minibuses, for logistical purposes at the rear. These vehicles offer decent off-road capabilities and load capacity, but as befits a civilian vehicle, they are highly vulnerable to gunfire.
As a result, Russian and Ukrainian drivers typically attempt to complete their routes as swiftly as possible, often with headlights off to reduce the risk of detection. Some Buchankas can accelerate up to 90 mph, though this may still not be sufficient to evade an FPV drone, and colliding with a concrete obstacle at such speeds can be lethal.
Dragon’s teeth — a simple anti-vehicle barrier
Dragon’s teeth are concrete or reinforced concrete triangles designed to halt or slow down enemy vehicles on roads. They are effective against standard vehicles such as 4x4s or wheeled armoured personnel carriers. Still, a tracked vehicle, like a high-speed tank weighing tens of tonnes, can drive over them if the barrier is not embedded in the ground, which is often not true when placed on roads.
If they only cover part of a road, the worst outcome is that civilian vehicles will be stopped, although not all, as off-road vehicles, can simply navigate through the rough terrain next to them unless anti-tank mines are present. Alternatively, such obstacles can be dismantled with explosives.
