INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
insufficient production have created acute equipment shortages.Meanwhile, the Russian army has resorted to using civilian vehicles for
attacks on Ukrainian positions, reducing combat effectiveness, increasing casualties and slowing their advance.As U.S
to hold on to occupied territories would be unstable, potentially leading to renewed aggression against Ukraine or even an attack on NATO
countries.While these diplomatic efforts hum along, there are questions about the state of the Russian military and its ability to recover
at the front lines last month.Pro-war blogger Kirill Fedorov claimed that the Defense Ministry had sent a donkey to his unit due to a
More evidence of Russian soldiers using donkeys, horses and even camels to transport supplies emerged soon after.Lieutenant General Viktor
beginning of the war, Russian troops have relied on civilian vehicles for logistical support, often purchasing them with their own money or
through volunteer fundraising
been increasing cases of Russian soldiers launching assaults on Ukrainian positions in ordinary civilian cars.@garmaev_alexanderOne video
captured by a Ukrainian drone shows a column of civilian vehicles being struck by mortars and FPV drones, resulting in heavy losses
And this is far from the only case
attacks on motorcycles, which also result in significant casualties.According to the OSINT project Oryx, Russia has lost over 15,000 pieces
of military hardware since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022, including more than 3,700 tanks and roughly 8,000 armored
The number of destroyed civilian vehicles is even higher.Military analyst Yan Matveev noted that combat vehicles primarily serve as troop
lacks mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, which the U.S
supplies to Ukraine.The increasing dominance of drones on the battlefield has made attacks even more perilous
critical shortage of transportation in the Russian army has completely deprived it of the ability to conduct strategic offensive
transfer reinforcements or resupply advancing troops
This has resulted in a slow, grinding style of warfare
Matveev said.Due to equipment shortages, Russian units have begun using civilian vehicles, including cars and minibuses, to transport
Both Russian and Ukrainian forces employ such vehicles, but they lack the necessary armor, making them highly vulnerable to drone attacks as
troops must march 18 kilometers (11 miles) on foot due to vehicle losses, Russian military blogger Svyatoslav Golikov reported
Supplies, reinforcements and ammunition deliveries have slowed dramatically.The loss of armored vehicles and worsening logistics have
already affected the pace of Russian advances
Data from the Ukrainian OSINT project Deep State shows that in early February, the Russian army captured the smallest amount of Ukrainian
territory since June 2024, according to an analysis by the outlet Agentsvo.Since the start of the war, Russia has been able to make up for
Satellite imagery of Russian military storage bases indicates that stocks of armored vehicles have declined by nearly 32% since 2021,
according to OSINT analysts cited by Newsweek.The number of MT-LB armored personnel carriers has fallen from 2,527 before the war to just
Meanwhile, Soviet-era BTR-60, BTR-70 and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers have been completely removed from storage.t.me/arrowsmapMore than
40% of old Soviet tanks and armored personnel carriers were pulled from storage at the Vagzhanovo military equipment base in the republic of
the newest Russian T-90M tanks have been delivered to the front without crucial components, likely due to sanctions that have cut Russia off
from key technologies.According to satellite imagery, Soviet-era military equipment in storage bases may only last until the end of 2025,
Russian military expert Yury Fedorov told Novaya Gazeta Europe
He said that equipment stockpiles are nearly depleted, though it is impossible to determine exactly how much weaponry remains in storage
Experts also note that not all equipment in storage can be restored to working condition.Military expert Richard Vereker has observed a
90 new T-90M tanks per year, along with several hundred other armored vehicles, including BTR-82 APCs
undermine NATO and challenge U.S
