After more than three years of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Russian military has undergone many changes, one of which is particularly noticeable. Motorcycles, once overlooked, have become a favorite and are now being widely equipped, which could be seen as a sudden realization. Accurately speaking, this should be attributed to learning from the war and drawing lessons from it. According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War on July 2, 2025, the Russian military's tactics have changed, with an increasing use of motorcycles in infantry assaults. Therefore, the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to purchase 200,000 motorcycles made in China to equip the troops.

Russian motorized forces preparing for an attack

This is a significant change. Before World War II, motorcycles were once the main equipment for armies, but after the war, their status declined, and their usage gradually decreased. At the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, neither side had many motorcycles. However, during the combat process, the Russian military tried various tactics to address the challenges of warfare and adjusted their equipment, quickly rediscovering the importance of motorcycles and gradually increasing their use in battles.

Combat teams can move quickly and are very suitable for motorcycle transport

Now, the Russian military is equipping a large number of motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. The Russian Ministry of Defense has planned to purchase 200,000 motorcycles made in China; they have also established specialized training facilities. On June 27 and 28, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a report stating that high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Defense, visited the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School and a new military training ground. They introduced the motorcycle training project facilities established in the Krasnodar Krai. The Russian Minister of Defense, Belousov, ordered the school to be equipped with motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles to train students in modern tactics.

Individual tactics have begun to change due to motorcycles

To adapt to the requirements of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Russian military has modernized over 200 training centers, adding modern driving ranges equipped with motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and four-wheelers. Currently, the Russian military is standardizing the tactical use of motorcycles, indicating an attempt to incorporate them into regular tactics.

It is reported that the Russian military began using motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in attacks on the Pokrovsk direction at the end of 2024. A formal tactic for using motorcycles was developed during these operations, and efforts are currently underway to transfer this experience to other front-line areas.

There is even a special school teaching motorcycle courses

The Russian Ministry of Defense currently intends to hire a group of instructors to guide the troops on how to best operate motorcycles. Some of these coaches may be former members of the Wagner mercenary group. This means that the Wagner organization is re-emerging. As a mercenary force, Wagner not only has rich combat experience but also has its own system of views and new ideas, especially regarding motorcycle usage, where they have considerable experience.

Originally, most of the motorcycles used by the Russian military came from donations or self-purchases. Now, the Russian Ministry of Defense will conduct official purchases, providing motorcycles to the troops and establishing a motorcycle unit inventory. It is reported that the Russian military purchased more than 40,000 motorcycles made in China in 2024, having already received 20,000 of these motorcycles. Later, it plans to purchase 120,000 motorcycles, 30,000 all-terrain vehicles, and 12,000 off-road vehicles by the end of 2025. Ultimately, it may purchase 200,000 motorcycles and 60,000 other types of light vehicles.

The Russian military now relies heavily on motorcycles for daily operations

However, there is considerable controversy within Russia regarding the use of motorcycles: some believe that motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles lack protection and are easily attacked, causing significant casualties; others believe that using motorcycles can complete tasks more easily and effectively reduce casualties. If the Russian military uses motorcycles to break through, combined with air power, under the support of drones and electronic warfare systems, it can enhance evasion capabilities and carry out rapid actions in disputed "gray zones" on the front lines.

The Russia-Ukraine war is a large-scale land battle, mainly characterized by positional warfare, with both sides building numerous fortifications. The Russian military's offensive involves breaking through one position after another. In such situations, tanks can only provide fire support, and in many cases, infantry is the main force.

Many motorcycles have been lost, so standardizing tactics is imperative

In the offensive, the movement of infantry is limited. On one hand, infantry can carry limited equipment, and on the other hand, their mobility is severely inadequate. Therefore, the Russians have been searching for tactics and equipment to allow infantry to break through quickly. It seems that motorcycles have become a good choice, capable of transporting equipment and moving quickly. If the issue of vulnerability to attacks is resolved, they would be a very powerful fighting force.

The Russian military has started to standardize motorcycle tactics in training

Currently, the Russian military's advance speed has not exceeded walking speed, and there are still some tactical issues with integrating fast vehicles into attacks. Therefore, further improvements are needed. In fact, applying transportation tools like motorcycles in warfare is not a new thing, but how to operate them has always been a problem. Russia still needs to make more efforts.

Ukrainians also rely on motorcycles for combat

The Russia-Ukraine war is a large-scale land battle, and many experiences are worth studying. It is indeed a rare modern warfare experience. However, whether the use of motorcycles and similar tools applies to other countries remains to be studied.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522838623440536114/

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