Ukraine Using Electric Bikes to Silently Move Anti-Tank Weapons – As Russia’s military campaign in the eastern Donbas region of continues to struggle, Ukrainian troops are reportedly coming up with creative solutions for moving anti-tank weapons without the Russians noticing.
Images shared on Telegram appear to show the Ukrainian military using electric motorcycles to carry light anti-tank weapons to defensive positions. Soldiers have reportedly used the bikes since the early days of the war, allowing them to quickly transport weapons without creating much noise and drawing attention to themselves.
Photographs shared on Telegram last week show the Delfast bikes, which have been modified to carry the weapons, hauling missile launchers across rural land. The bikers can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour, meaning soldiers can quickly and easily flee the scene was delivering the anti-tank weapons.
Built by Ukrainian electric vehicle manufacturers ELEEK and Delfast, the bikes were never initially intended for military use – but have found a role in the war helping Ukrainian soldiers transport NATO-supplied weapons to the frontlines in the east.
Delfast Is Supplying the Vehicles to Troops
While the bikes were not developed for use by the military, Delfast CEO Daniel Tonkopi confirmed that the vehicles are being constantly supplied to troops and have been since the beginning of the war.
“Delfast has been providing electric bikes to the Ukrainian Army since the first day of the war,” he said in a Facebook post.
Tonkopo also published some photographs of soldiers using the vehicles, and said that the company initially didn’t publicly reveal its efforts.
“We do something quietly,” he said. “Now we’ve gotten permission from the command, and we’re publishing these pictures.”
It’s Working, Too
A combination of ingenious solutions like using electric bikes on the battlefield and a constant flow of new ammunition and missile systems from NATO countries is helping Ukraine push back Russian troops to the border.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine revealed in a statement on May 21 that Russia has so far lost around 28,850 of its troops in Ukraine, as well as 1,278 tanks. An additional 3,116 armored vehicles have been lost, along with almost 600 artillery stems, over 200 multiple launch rocket systems, and nearly 100 anti-aircraft missile systems
“Punch the Occupier! Together we will win! Our power is in the truth!
Strike the occupier! Let’s win together! Our strength is in the truth!” the statement reads.
While the use of electric bikes has helped so far, thanks to the low heat signature that makes it difficult for Russian surveillance vehicles to find them, the announcement from Delfast and the leaked images mean that Russian forces are now aware of their use.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
