"Ukraine is using 'Mad Max' tactics, trading Bradleys for speed and high risk in Russia’s Belgorod."

 

Defense expert Yan Matveev has revealed Ukraine's latest high-risk battlefield strategy: prioritizing speed over heavy armor to safeguard soldiers and achieve swift territorial gains. In a bold escalation, Ukrainian forces have advanced into Russia's Belgorod Oblast, even as they lose ground in Kursk. This strategic maneuver forces Russian commanders into a dilemma—whether to continue their push toward Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast or risk exposure to Ukrainian counterattacks.

For the past six months, Ukrainian forces have deliberately sacrificed armor to penetrate Russian defenses. “They knew many armored vehicles, tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles would be left on the battlefield,” Matveev explains. Rather than a battlefield failure, these losses reflect a calculated trade-off: sacrificing expensive Western-supplied equipment for territorial advances in a grueling war where traditional tactics have fallen short.

Speed Over Size: Ukraine’s New Tactical Equation

Conventional military doctrine dictates a three-to-one advantage in manpower and equipment to ensure success, with an acceptance of higher casualties. Russian forces often rely on consecutive waves of attacks, sacrificing troops to wear down defenses before securing gains.

“But Ukrainian generals took a different approach,” Matveev notes. “They proposed fast mechanized assaults where speed is the primary advantage.” This tactic was clearly demonstrated during the Kursk Oblast offensives near Berdin on January 5 and toward Fanaseevka and Cherkasskaya Konopelka on February 6.

Instead of overwhelming numbers, Ukraine deploys rapid strike forces—infantry battalions supported by 15-25 armored vehicles, primarily Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). These formations include engineering vehicles for breach clearing, along with mine-resistant MRAPs and armored personnel carriers like the American MaxxPro or Ukrainian BTR-4E Bucephalus. Their primary mission is to transport infantry into combat zones and, when possible, provide fire support.

Mechanized Lightning Strikes

Engineering vehicles lead the charge, removing obstacles and clearing mines at a cost—typically one or two vehicles per advance. Then, Bradleys follow, their superior mine resistance allowing infantry to disembark safely even if hit. Abandoned Bradleys now dot the Belgorod border, testament to the troops who have already pushed forward.

Once past Russian defensive lines, Ukrainian forces race toward open terrain, ideally reaching a good road to accelerate their advance. At this stage, Russian drone attacks intensify. The key to success? Staying focused—damaged vehicles are abandoned as infantry continue moving. If the initial border breach succeeds, the objective—just 2-3 kilometers away—becomes attainable even on foot. Troops then capture a settlement, disembark, and send surviving armor back to prepare for the next wave.

Three critical factors underpin these operations:

• High-quality equipment—fast, well-protected, and reliable vehicles.
• Elite infantry—special forces or experienced assault troops, fully armed and equipped.
• Strong engineering support—in some cases, Ukrainian forces even bring their own bridges for river crossings.

These attacks exploit weakly defended border areas or recently captured Russian territory, where artillery and supply lines are still being established. Prior drone strikes on Russian logistics further weaken defensive positions. The small size of Ukrainian attack forces ensures a crucial element of surprise.

Lessons from Past Failures

In the summer of 2023, Ukraine attempted similar mechanized assaults but relied too heavily on slow-moving tanks. Poor route selection and sluggish movement cost them the element of surprise. “Delays in Western supplies significantly impacted these attacks,” Matveev explains.

Russia’s Tactical Weaknesses

Putin’s forces oscillate between two flawed extremes: slow, heavily armored advances vulnerable to drones or fast, unprotected rushes using motorcycles and civilian vehicles. The latter approach, though rapid, exposes Russian troops to devastating machine-gun fire and impassable minefields. Russia’s reliance on poorly trained infantry further compounds their tactical weaknesses.

The Kursk Offensive: A Tactical Evolution

Ukraine first deployed small mechanized groups in Kursk but scaled up the strategy, launching multiple simultaneous border strikes before committing main forces. This shift, born of necessity, minimized reliance on heavy equipment and capitalized on speed.

During the Berdin and Fanaseevka offensives, Ukrainian forces advanced 6-7 kilometers within hours. Though Berdin was later lost, Fanaseevka and Cherkasskaya Konopelka were secured. Similar breakthroughs occurred in Donetsk’s Pokrovsk salient and at the Belgorod border, where fast-moving infantry, supported by light vehicles, captured Demidovka and Popovka despite vehicle losses to mines and drones.

Can These Tactics Win the War?

“No,” Matveev states plainly. “These operations succeed only with limited, achievable objectives—capturing a village 5 kilometers from the front.” Overextending risks supply breakdowns, counterattacks, and failure.

However, these small, mechanized assaults could lay the groundwork for future breakthroughs. In August 2024, similar tactics in Kursk allowed Ukrainian forces to breach the border and advance once they encountered minimal resistance. The key is surprise—small strike groups can mobilize discreetly, avoiding immediate Russian countermeasures.

Russian forces often underestimate these threats. Even days after the Popovka breakthrough, Ukrainian forces faced only border guards rather than regular army units.

Currently, Ukraine employs these mechanized groups to disrupt Russian offensives, create diversions, and expand control zones. “In crucial frontline sections, superior equipment and training give Ukraine a unique opportunity: despite being outnumbered, they can seize the initiative, dictate battle conditions, and control key areas,” Matveev concludes.

If Ukrainian commanders attempted traditional large-scale offensives, they would likely squander their forces. Instead, by leveraging speed, surprise, and precision, they continue to shift the battlefield dynamics in their favor.