Russians have begun testing a locally-made electric motorcycle for combat use in their war against Ukraine. It is no secret that the nearly three-year-long invasion has led to significant Russian losses including thousands of destroyed tanks and other military vehicles. Now the Russians appear to be getting even more creative with their military vehicle selection.
The electric motorcycles, built by Kalashnikov Group (yes… that Kalashnikov), are now being sent “to border areas for testing in highly complex conditions,” according to the company. Kalashnikov Group may be most widely known as a weapons manufacturer, but also produces ground vehicles and even boats.
The company touts its electric motorcycles as having distinct tactical advantages, including their “low noise level during engine operation and no thermal radiation, which makes them invisible to thermal imagers.”
The single-seater electric motorcycles feature a centrally-mounted chain-driving electric motor and what appears to be a non-removable lithium-ion battery pack secured in a trellis frame.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which expanded with Russia’s invasion of sovereign Ukrainian territory in February 2022 following its annexation of Crimea eight years earlier, is currently ongoing and has caused widespread devastation and geopolitical tensions. The war has led to thousands of deaths, large-scale displacement of Ukrainian civilians, and significant economic and infrastructural damage in Ukraine.
Despite suffering from a disproportionate war materiel arsenal, Ukrainian defenders have defied global concerns and have managed to mount a stiff resistance to invading Russian forces through a combination of Western-supplied equipment, home-grown innovations, and sheer determination.
Ukrainian soldiers have relied on local innovations in electric two-wheelers in multiple cases throughout the war. We first learned of Ukrainian electric bicycle manufacturer Delfast’s electric bikes being used as a mobile platform for carrying NLAW rockets used to destroy Russian tanks.
The Ukrainians have also used powerful electric bikes as silent, stealthy vehicles for inserting sniper teams at the front lines, allowing soldiers to emplace quickly and effectively.
The Ukrainians have even relied on small electric boats, including electric kayaks, for mobility along rivers and other small waterways.
For its part, Russia has also employed non-conventional vehicles, though to much lesser effect. For example, its golf cart-mounted soldiers fared much worse when attempting to storm Ukrainian positions earlier this year.
