At Pokrovsk: Moscow's 150 Man Mad Max Motorcycle Massacre

Having largely run out of armored vehicles - and finding them too vulnerable to drones in any event - Russia is now experimenting with motorcycle swarms to see if small, fast but relatively large groups of soldiers on dirt bikes can overwhelm drone teams and penetrate Ukrainian defenses. 

The answer is no. Of the 150 motorcycles, 96 were destroyed. Total Russian casualties were 240 killed and wounded. JL

Volodomyr B reports in Militarnyi:

Russian troops attempted a massive assault in the Pokrovsk sector using 150 motorcycles, armored vehicles, and wheeled transport, two companies of personnel. The Russians suffered significant losses: 240 killed and wounded. Additionally, Ukrainian units destroyed 96 motorcycles, 21 armored vehicles, 2 cars, and 2 artillery systems. These motorcycle units operate on the front with a width of up to 600 meters and a depth of advance of up to 1.5 kilometers. The attack was stopped by the Ukrainian 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade.

Russian troops attempted a massive assault in the Pokrovsk sector using a new tactic, involving about a hundred motorcycles, a significant amount of armored vehicles, and wheeled transport.

Oleksandr Pivnenko, the Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, reported on this.

The enemy’s attack was stopped by the forces of the 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade of the 1st Corps, as well as the units from the 1st and 4th regiments of the National Guard of Ukraine.

 

According to preliminary estimates, around two companies of personnel were involved in the assault.

As a result of the battle, the enemy suffered significant losses — approximately 240 killed and wounded. Additionally, Ukrainian units managed to destroy 96 motorcycles, 21 armored vehicles, 2 cars, and 2 artillery systems.

Russian Motorcycle Assault Tactics

Volunteer and activist Roman Donik reported that Russian troops were conducting training for motorcycle assault units with an intensive 10-day program.

During the exercises, the enemy practices moving in small groups of 3–5 infantrymen, as well as in columns or ‘swarms’ of 30–50 motorcyclists.

 

These units operate on the front with a width of up to 600 meters and a depth of advance of up to 1.5 kilometers.

The ultimate aim of the exercises is to form assault groups capable of making deep breakthroughs with the ability to hold positions for 3–4 days while awaiting reinforcements.

Illustrative photo of a Russian infantryman with a motorcycle. Source: BBC

The main objective is the capture of small settlements through rapid movement across open terrain.

The enemy aims to impose a maneuverable, dynamic battle at long range, followed by clearing, securing positions, and transitioning to a perimeter defense.

There is also a functional division of motorcyclists within assault groups:

 

– a motorcyclist with electronic warfare equipment (who moves in the center of the group),

– a motorcycle wrecker (who tows specialized stretchers for the wounded),
– a motorcyclist or buggy driver with mines,
– and a motorcycle chemist.

As previously reported, the tactic of using motorcycles in assault operations by Russian troops is not new — it has been developing for at least the past year, gradually reaching a qualitatively new level, particularly in terms of scale.

For example, quite recently, on April 14, it became known that Russian forces had launched a failed offensive near the village of Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region, having deployed three tanks, 18 infantry fighting vehicles and MT-LBs, and 41 motorcycles in the assault.

On January 16th, Militarnyi reported on the assault on the positions of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss” using 39 motorcycles.

As early as last year, there were reports that Russian infantry, including marines units, were practicing assaulting positions using motorcycles.

The main advantage of this tactic is the speed of movement, which minimizes the time spent in open terrain, thus reducing the risk of operational detection and targeting.

Additionally, defenders have much less time to detect targets, aim, and open fire, as motorcyclists actively maneuver and quickly change distance.

In the Middle East, this tactic worked because the opposing sides were in a ‘fog of war,’ had limited firepower, and poor reconnaissance.

How this tactic will perform on our front, with proper planning and trained motorcycle assault units, will be seen in time.