As of: March 23, 2024, 5:16 a.m
By: Nadja Zinsmeister
Comments
Press
Split
Russia keeps losing important combat vehicles in the Ukraine war.
The supplies are now said to be particularly dangerous for their own soldiers.
Kiev - The Russian army is apparently increasingly relying on cheap off-road vehicles from China for transport to the front in the Ukrainian war.
As the Ukrainian military and several media outlets report in unison, these are vehicles similar to golf carts from Chinese companies that the Kremlin is buying in large numbers for the war of aggression against Ukraine.
With the cheap variant, Russia could try to compensate for the high losses of combat vehicles in the Ukraine war.
“Recently, the 60th Separate Mechanized Brigade repelled a major attack by the Russians in the Liman sector, which occurred in three waves,” a Ukrainian unit stationed in Donesk reported in a Telegram message in early March.
The statement continued: "The Russians used tanks, armored personnel carriers, manpower and even Shoigu's Chinese golf carts, which he presented to Putin as the latest development in his defense industry." In a video released, a cream-colored vehicle that resembles a golf cart can be seen .
The Ukrainian unit said it destroyed the attack including its vehicles.
Military success cannot be independently verified.
Because of losses: Russia's army sends soldiers to the Ukraine war with cheap Chinese carts
The use of such off-road vehicles in the Ukraine war is apparently not uncommon.
As the business magazine
Forbes
reports, the Russian Kremlin has purchased thousands of vehicles of this type from a Chinese company.
Specifically, these are open Desertcross 1000 commercial vehicles that weigh around 1.5 tons and have 85 hp.
According to the newspaper's information, it can be assumed that Russia wants to compensate for a high loss of infantry vehicles by purchasing cheap vehicles from China.
The country itself is estimated to produce around 30 new infantry fighting vehicles every month.
“So the Russian military’s loss of 200 armored personnel carriers between February 14 and March 14 is a problem,” writes
Forbes
reporter David Ax.
Russian soldiers from an artillery brigade fire at Ukrainian forces in the Avdiivka sector (picture from March 8, 2024).
In the Ukraine war, Russia is supposed to transport its soldiers to the front using cheap transport vehicles from China.
© IMAGO/Stanislav Krasilnikov/SNA
According to the newspaper, the “Desertcross” vehicles are currently performing a task that armored personnel carriers would actually have to perform in the Ukraine war, making numerous Russian soldiers an easy target.
They can be destroyed by Ukrainian mines, drones, rockets and artillery without much problem.
Even well-placed rifle shots could be enough to temporarily disable the vehicle.
Going to the Ukraine War in a Golf Cart?
Ukrainian drone operator finds abandoned vehicles
At the beginning of March, another Ukrainian soldier who regularly reports on his drone missions on the news platform X confirmed that the golf cart-like vehicles were actually in the Ukraine war.
He posted a drone shot of several abandoned vehicles in an open area.
“Damaged and abandoned RUAF mechanized infantry platoon near Avdiivka.
The train consisted of three GFVs (Golf fighting vehicles),” wrote the drone operator.
He described the discovery as “spooky.”
The vehicles should be cheap and quick to procure, but also not very robust in wartime.
As the
Pravda
news portal reports, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russia began purchasing these vehicles in 2023. At that time, 530 units were initially manufactured and delivered by the Chinese company “Shandong Odes Industry”.
A contract for the purchase of around 1,600 additional units was also prepared.
Another 500 should be delivered in December and the rest in the first quarter of 2024.
(nz)