Imagine a Ukrainian drone pilot, expecting to uncover a hidden Russian weapons cache, only to find a bizarre collection of horses and old cars instead. It’s a scene that raises more questions than answers—what does this say about Russia’s military strategy, and how does it impact the ongoing conflict?
In a recent interview with Business Insider, the pilot, known only by his call sign Cosmos, shared the unexpected discovery. His unit, the Wild Division, had suspected a ruined warehouse—about 9 miles from the front lines in southern Ukraine—was a Russian logistics hub. Armed with a fiber-optic drone equipped with explosives, Cosmos was prepared to destroy any ordnance or fuel stockpiles. But what he found was anything but conventional.
As the drone’s camera panned inside, it revealed a scene more akin to a rural garage: four civilian cars, two motorcycles, and two bridled horses. ‘We had not expected to see this. It was unusual,’ Cosmos admitted. ‘We were expecting to find armored vehicles.’ The video of this discovery quickly went viral in Ukraine, sparking conversations about Russia’s increasingly unconventional tactics.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Russia has been relying on unorthodox transport methods like horses, bicycles, and even cheap civilian vehicles to conduct assaults and logistics missions. While these assets might be harder for drones to detect due to their smaller profiles, their repeated use raises concerns about Russia’s ability to sustain its invasion with proper military equipment. Is this a sign of desperation, or a calculated strategy to minimize losses?*
Cosmos’s mission, conducted in early February, wasn’t an isolated incident. His squad mates in the Wild Division, part of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade, had previously seen footage of Russian soldiers using horses to attack Ukrainian positions. One notable example occurred in Zaporizhzhia, where a Ukrainian drone crew targeted Russian infantry advancing on horseback. For Cosmos, however, this was his first encounter with such tactics on the front lines.
During the mission, Cosmos flew his explosive-laden drone into one of the cars, and his crew later struck several other vehicles. When Russian forces relocated their assets, the Wild Division tracked them to another warehouse and attacked it as well. ‘The enemy usually lives in hiding close to these places,’ Cosmos explained. ‘It’s common for us to check all targets. Sometimes we see their infantry or vehicles.’
And this is the part most people miss: The use of horses and civilian cars, like the inexpensive Lada Nivas, reflects Russia’s attritional approach to warfare. As Fizruk, the commander of Cosmos’s battalion, pointed out, these vehicles are seen as disposable. ‘They treat these like they will be losses anyway,’ he said. ‘A Niva costs around $2,000, while a Ukrainian Hummer costs $20,000 or more. Why pay more when you can buy 10 Nivas for the same price?’
This strategy, however, comes at a staggering human cost. NATO estimates that up to 25,000 Russian troops are dying each month as the Kremlin continues to pressure Ukrainian positions with repeated ground assaults. To sustain this brutal approach, Russia has turned to informal recruitment methods and even sourced ammunition from North Korea. Is this a sustainable strategy, or a recipe for long-term disaster?*
As the war drags on, these unconventional tactics raise critical questions about Russia’s military capabilities and the ethical implications of its approach. What do you think? Is Russia’s reliance on cheap, disposable assets a sign of ingenuity or desperation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
