The frontline of the ongoing war in Ukraine remains intense, particularly for the Rubizh brigade, which is facing a continuous barrage of Russian attacks. Andriy Otchenash, the commander of the Kara Nebesna UAV crew within Ukraine’s 4th Rubizh brigade, provided an update on the situation in a recent interview with Espreso TV. According to Otchenash, Russian forces are using both traditional tactics and new methods in their attempts to break through Ukrainian defences. While the enemy is currently relying less on heavy equipment, they have increased the number of soldiers they deploy, launching three to five assault attempts daily without interruption. Despite these persistent attacks, Otchenash remains confident, stating that the brigade is well-prepared to repel them.
Russian forces have been amassing more equipment along specific areas of the frontline, which suggests that they may soon launch assaults supported by vehicles. However, Otchenash believes these attacks will ultimately fail, as this is not the first time the brigade has repelled such attempts. He mentioned that the enemy is constantly adapting their tactics, conducting aerial reconnaissance to search for weaknesses in Ukraine’s defences. However, Otchenash is confident in his brigade’s readiness to face whatever is thrown at them.
One of the more unusual tactics employed by the Russian forces involves the use of motorbikes. According to Otchenash, it has become a regular part of their assaults, with five to ten motorbikes trying to break through the frontlines at a time. The motorbikes are not used to directly attack the line of contact but instead aim to create chaos by getting behind Ukrainian troops, forcing them to fire in multiple directions. This tactic, however, has proven ineffective. Otchenash described it as “pretty funny” as the motorbikes are easily knocked over by nearby shell hits, with the soldiers falling off and rolling around. Despite this, Russian forces continue to use motorbikes as part of their blitzkrieg-style assaults, attempting to push as deep as possible into Ukrainian-held areas before digging in.
Otchenash also highlighted a concerning trend in the composition of Russian forces. Many of the recent prisoners captured by the Rubizh brigade were found to have had only a few days of training before being sent to the frontlines. Some of these prisoners had just a week of training, while one individual had only two weeks of service before being captured. These untrained soldiers are being used as cannon fodder, showing the desperation of the Russian military as they continue their offensive with little regard for the lives of their troops.
