Ukrainians turn to ancient caltrops against Russian trucks

Forbes reported that Ukrainians have turned to caltrops, dropped from drones onto roads used by Russian trucks. The service describes this as "an ingenious new use of a very old weapon." Caltrops often force vehicles to stop, making them easier targets for combat drones. Ukrainian defense has shown that caltrops are a very simple and timeless weapon, effective on the modern battlefield.

Using drones, Ukrainians irregularly scatter small, star-shaped metal structures on roads used by Russian trucks and military vehicles. These pose a serious threat to tires, as no matter how they fall, at least one of the sharpened spikes is always pointing upwards.

Ukrainians have resorted to a long-known weapon: Caltrops frequently force wheeled vehicles to stop, which then become easier targets for Ukrainian drones equipped with explosive charges. Their purpose is to destroy such a machine. In the case of speeding trucks, they can even lead to loss of control over the vehicle and accidents. These simple solutions thus pose a serious challenge to Russian logistical chains, which largely rely on road transport.

The Bulgarian Military service notes that the effectiveness of caltrops depends on several factors. Among them are the thickness of the tire and its pressure, as well as the material and design of the caltrop itself. According to this service, star-shaped traps made of hardened steel can puncture rubber tires and some types of tires used in armored vehicles.

Forbes recalls that the ancient Romans already used caltrops. The service emphasizes that they are "dated at least to the year 313 BC when Alexander the Great's army used them against the Persian cavalry." However, caltrops from that period were more jagged to successfully embed in a horse's hoof and be harder to remove. Various forms were also used in the Middle Ages and later years. For example, during World War II, caltrops were distributed by resistance fighters in Europe and German soldiers.