When Russia first invaded Ukraine in February 2022, most people, including military experts, expected the war to be a defeat in favor of Russian forces. Yet despite being vastly outnumbered, the Ukrainian military has held its own. The Russian military has appeared incompetent at times, including the use of poorly equipped convoy trucks, some with logs for armor. By contrast, the Ukrainian military has been surprisingly resourceful. The latest example is fooling Russian snipers due to a unique feature on old British farm trucks.
Car4ukraine: Aging British farm trucks shipped to Ukraine and adapted for military use
Until recently, farmers used old British farm trucks for things like hauling tools and manure across the idyllic countryside. However, thanks to car4ukraine, these trucks found a second life in the battle of Ukraine against Russia. The organization, founded shortly after the start of the invasion, adapts civilian trucks for military use.
Ivan Oleksii is an esports analyst originally from Kherson, Ukraine. For his job with Car4ukraine, he buys used vans from all over Europe. The Ukrainian army then uses the trucks in the ongoing war against the Russian invaders. To buy the trucks, Oleksii and the Car4ukraine team financed all the money.
In an interview with Well-informed personOleksii said that the organization has received about 100 vans. Before converting them to military-grade vehicles, most trucks were used for farm work.
Russian snipers tricked into shooting passenger seat of right-hand drive British trucks
While there are different types of British pickup trucks, they all have one thing in common. The driver’s seat is on the right side. And due to this feature, the lives of many Ukrainian soldiers have been saved.
Oleksii said Russian snipers are tricked into targeting the passenger seat, mistakenly thinking they are shooting drivers. From a sniper’s point of view, it’s hard to tell the difference between right-hand drive British vans and the much more common left-hand drive vans, as most have the same modernized look. Unlike the UK, Ukrainian and Russian trucks are right-hand drive models.
Also, to further confuse the Russian snipers, the drivers of the modernized British farm trucks put dolls in the passenger seat. With a mix of left and right hand drive trucks on the battlefield, along with dummies in the passenger seat, Russian snipers get confused. They are not sure where to aim.
Farm trucks are cheap but effective in battles due to their configurability and agility.
One of the reasons why Car4ukraine gives priority to British farm trucks is because they can buy them very cheap. Due to many years of use on farms, they are often scratched and smelly. However, the trucks are still durable and high-capacity.
The used vans supplied by Car4ukraine are mainly four-wheel drive models with 2.0-litre engines. They are British right-hand drive versions of trucks like the Toyota Tundra and Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara and KingCab, Mitsubishi L200, Jeep Gladiator, Маzda BT-50 and Mazda B2500 and Isuzu D-Max.
Trucks typically cost around $5,800. However, Car4ukrain bought some with over 100,000 miles on the odometer for as little as $2,000. Also, upon learning of their final destination in Ukraine, some farmers will hand over the keys for as little as £1.
Old British farm trucks are also a nimble alternative to larger military vehicles. Its configurability is also an asset. After the trucks arrive in Ukraine, volunteer mechanics make special modifications to protect the passengers from Russian mortar and shelling. This includes reinforcing them with steel plates. Mechanics also add supports to the rear of trucks. These mounts can accommodate weaponry such as Stinger anti-tank weapons, machine guns, NLAWs, and javelins.
One of the challenges facing Ukraine against Russian forces is the onslaught of cruise missiles. Cruise missiles often hit civilian populations and infrastructure. And on this front, modernized pickup trucks have helped.
Oleksii told Insider about the text messages he received from a soldier who was driving one of the trucks imported by Car4ukraine: “A couple of days ago, we just received images of a cruise missile sent on Monday by Russia, but it was shot down. by the machine. gun from one of our trucks.