Darragh McGovern
Motorcycles have long had a presence in irregular and guerrilla warfare, particularly among non-state actors in regions such as Africa. However, their use by modern, professional state militaries has traditionally been limited – typically confined to reconnaissance or light logistics roles. This changed dramatically in the Russo-Ukrainian War, where the widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially first-person view (FPV) drones, has reshaped battlefield tactics.
A recent study by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) estimated that drones were responsible for 60–70% of damaged or destroyed Russian military systems. In this environment, traditional armoured vehicles – once central to manoeuvre warfare – have become highly vulnerable. This has led both Russian and Ukrainian forces to adapt, increasingly turning to motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) for their mobility, speed and expendability. These vehicles are now being used not just for assault but also for logistics, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and electronic warfare support, particularly in terrain where heavy armour is ineffective or too easily targeted.
Mechanised Warfare Adapting to Drone Dominance
This shift represents a tactical evolution – an adaptation to drone-dominated terrain that blurs the line between infantry and cavalry. As one Ukrainian soldier from the 3rd Assault Brigade put it in an interview with El País, such units resemble a form of ‘rapid assault cavalry.’ He described a successful Russian penetration of Ukrainian lines near Pokrovsk in April 2024 using ATVs. This was no isolated incident: Russian motorcycle and ATV units were being formally integrated into operations by mid-2024, with the Ministry of Defence publicly acknowledging their role in offensive efforts and frontline supply operations.
The Ukrainian military, too, has embraced the concept. The 425th Separate Assault Regiment announced its first motorcycle assault unit in May 2024 after ‘hundreds of hours’ of training, reporting its first successful mission – a night-time incursion into the Kursk region – later that month. These developments reflect not a desperate improvisation by either side but rather a deliberate response to the rapidly evolving threat environment on the modern battlefield.
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