Ukrainian soldiers turn civilian pickup trucks into "nightmare mobiles" to outwit Russian drones

In the aftermath of Russia's attack on Ukraine, it quickly became apparent that accurate enemy observation and the ability to inflict unexpected damage are as crucial as brute force. This is exactly what the "Nightmare Mobile" is designed to do. So, what is it? As reported by the Polish Press Agency, citing Russian opposition service Meduza, these are ordinary, civilian pickups. The cargo space is modified to mount railings for Grad rocket launchers.

The Nightmare Mobile is extremely mobile and compact, making it nearly undetectable by Russian drones. Given accurate intelligence data, this gun can effectively attack enemy soldiers and equipment, according to the press services of the 56th brigade, quoted by Meduza.

The designers highlight that these vehicles enable attacks on the enemy from unsuspected locations. The Nightmare Mobile is a creation of soldiers from the Ukrainian 56th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade, with the aid of volunteers.

Ukraine's example shows that civilian vehicles with off-road capabilities can be of significant utility to the military in case of an armed conflict. In the past, pickups have been frequently modified with machine gun mounts. Interestingly, Polish regulations allow the military to conscript such off-road vehicles.

A civilian's car can be put into service in three scenarios - during a state of emergency (war), a natural disaster, and when testing mobilization readiness (no more than 3 times a year, this includes military exercises). How does it work in practice? The military recruitment commander must report to the local government, which then decides to lend the vehicle to the military for the duration of the war.

According to the law, the military can borrow a vehicle from a civilian but they must return it in the same condition and with the same amount of fuel it was taken with. If the vehicle is damaged beyond repair, compensation is owed to the owner.