Russian troops try electric bicycles in desperate war tactics

The war in Ukraine is full of astonishing scenes that seem more suited to action movies than reality. One such scene involves Russians on motorcycles attacking Ukrainian defensive positions and attempting to use electric bicycles. We explain the reasons and effects of these actions.

Both Ukrainians and Russians face shortages in military equipment. The Russians, in particular, lack infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers needed to transport soldiers. They even employ tanks that look like barns as makeshift transports.

Motorcycles are another method used to reach defensive positions or get as close as possible to enemy fortifications. While this mode of movement might make some sense initially, in the long run, it's simply a suicide mission.

This issue was also raised by "war correspondent" Andrey Filatov, who works for Russia Today. Apart from criticizing the Russian commander in that region, he advises the use of electric bicycles, which are quieter and less "visible" in thermal imaging.

Motorcycles, buggies, and electric bicycles are very useful modes of transportation across Ukrainian wilderness areas, which, during the spring and fall seasons, become literal swamps. The advantage is their speed, which makes it difficult for artillery to hit the traveler. However, 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 a few miles 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. These bicycles have sufficient range and speed while generating very low thermal and acoustic signatures.

Additionally, their batteries can serve as power banks, providing the ability to charge electronic equipment in the field, where access to electricity is a luxury.