The Russian military has employed a new tactic of motorcycle assault to cross exposed fields, minimize the risk of attack by Ukrainian drones, and break through enemy defenses from the flanks, the Defense Ministry's press service revealed on June 30.
"[Motorcycles are used], for example, to penetrate behind enemy lines, to storm certain positions, if these positions were previously suppressed by artillery or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)," retired Russian Army colonel and military analyst Viktor Litovkin told Sputnik.
"[The Russian military] stun the enemy with artillery or missile strike, and then quickly approach the area. While the enemy is in panic, at a loss, [motorcycle brigades] crush them," Litovkin said, comparing the motorcycle assault with cavalry attacks of past centuries.
The New York Times claimed the tactic could be useful for crossing heavily mined fields.
"On the fields, motorcycle riders have good visibility and can swerve to avoid mines," the newspaper speculated.
According to Litovkin, the newspaper's assumption is nonsensical, as it would amount to nothing short of a suicidal mission.
"Let the Americans tell you tales about the advantage of this type of transport in mined areas. This is great stupidity. Mined fields must be cleared first," Litovkin said.
The Western media reported last week that Russian soldiers have increasingly been using motorcycles, dirt bikes, quadricycles and dune buggies during the ongoing offensive, quoting the Ukrainian military deployed at the front line.
The NYT admitted that the "nonconventional" tactic has proven effective and that the Russian army is advancing fast.
"Over time, its gains have added up and the Russian military is now close to strategically important supply lines and towns in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine," the newspaper stressed.
The Russian Ministry of Defense (Mod) said on June 30 that during the liberation of the village of Staromayorskoye, and other settlements of the Donetsk People's Republic near Ugledar, assault units of the Vostok Group of Forces actively used motorcycles to carry out assault combat operations, transport ammunition and food.
“To achieve tactical success, commanders often use motorized groups in combination with assault infantry units. Also, groups on motorcycles and quad bikes were used as a diversionary maneuver, which made it possible to… capture the [enemy] strongholds," the MoD said.