In a striking turn of battlefield strategy, Russian forces are increasingly using horses and donkeys to transport supplies and soldiers near Ukraine’s front lines, seeking to evade the relentless threat of drone attacks, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The unconventional approach, though limited in scale, highlights how the evolving nature of modern warfare is forcing armies to revive old-school methods. Drones have reshaped the battlefield, and both sides are scrambling to adapt—through high-tech innovations like electronic jammers and crude fixes like netting and manual carts.
Returning to the basics
Ukrainian Army Sergeant Ihor Vizirenko, stationed near the heavily contested eastern town of Chasiv Yar, first spotted Russian troops using horses through drone footage. “The Russians are quite creative,” Vizirenko noted. “As soon as their vehicles get near the front line, Ukrainians are destroying them.”
Russia’s approach is tactical. Using horses and donkeys in forested terrain, where vehicles struggle and drones are less effective, allows them to transport ammunition and supplies with a lower risk of detection. “It’s better if a donkey gets killed than two men in a car,” said Russian Lt. Gen. Viktor Sobolev, acknowledging the dangerous conditions at the front.
Russian soldiers have even been filmed riding horses near Chasiv Yar, while pro-Kremlin bloggers have posted images of donkeys on the front lines.
Ukraine’s creative response
Ukrainian troops are also turning to low-tech solutions. Vizirenko’s unit uses manual trolleys—akin to those used in warehouses—to transport wood, supplies, and even injured soldiers across rough terrain, minimizing the risk of drone strikes. “We can quickly drop the trolleys if shelling starts and find cover,” Vizirenko said.
Though Ukraine continues to push the boundaries of modern warfare—developing sea drones that have devastated parts of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and adapting robot dogs for surveillance—the soldiers on the ground often rely on practical, old-fashioned methods to survive.
Ukraine’s front lines often resemble scenes from World War I, with muddy trenches, barbed wire, and rat-infested shelters. Drone technology dominates the skies, but survival often depends on the simplest strategies.
A desperate balance of old and new
Both sides are innovating in ways born from necessity. Russia has attached fishing-line-thin optic cables to drones to avoid Ukrainian jammers, while also constructing netted corridors to shield vehicles from air strikes. Ukrainian forces are testing unmanned ground vehicles capable of carrying machine guns or explosives.
Despite these advances, both armies are reviving older tactics. “I’m not sure the resuscitation of old technology, nets, shotguns, horses, is out of choice,” said Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews. “They are desperate attempts to cope with unmanned aerial vehicles.”
As the war stretches into its fourth year, the line between old and new warfare continues to blur. While Russia’s use of horses is unlikely to signal a full return to cavalry charges, the evolving tactics reflect a broader trend: in modern war, survival often depends on blending innovation with simplicity.
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