They are equipped with combat vehicles for reconnaissance and destruction of long-term fortifications
Russian sappers are preparing to take an active part in the assault operations. The Ministry of Defense has launched a program to rearm and strengthen engineering regiments and brigades, sources told Izvestia in the military department. By the end of the year, they will be armed with universal armored engineering vehicles capable not only of destroying minefields, but also of destroying enemy fortifications of any complexity. Experts note that the use of engineering troops for assault operations should be an effective solution.
For exploration and clearing the way
The Russian Defense Ministry has approved a program to increase the combat capabilities of combined arms engineering regiments and brigades — new units equipped with specialized assault and reconnaissance equipment will appear in their composition this year, sources in the military department told Izvestia.
We are talking about universal armored engineering vehicles (UBIM), as well as fundamentally new engineering reconnaissance vehicles. If UBIM is already supplied to the troops, then the reconnaissance vehicles are only being tested. It is known that they are highly autonomous. And their on-board equipment allows you to detect any type of engineering barriers, shelters, as well as minefields.
Universal Armored Engineering Vehicle (UBIM)
Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
According to Izvestia sources, thanks to the new assault engineering units, Russian troops will be able to break into enemy fortifications of any complexity.
The modern modification of UBIM is based on the T-90 tank. It is designed to overcome powerful engineering barriers on prepared defense lines. The vehicle is equipped not only with powerful armor, but also with modern dynamic protection, so it will be able to operate in advanced armored vehicles during an offensive. The latest universal tool installed on UBIM allows you to overcome almost all common types of anti-tank barriers. The vehicle is equipped with means of reconnaissance of troop routes, protective equipment, auxiliary equipment and manual hydraulic tools.
Two crew members and three sappers are housed inside in a secure compartment. In addition to the main working equipment, a hydraulic hammer can be installed on the boom, which allows destroying concrete and reinforced concrete structures in stone rubble. The traction winch of the machine allows you to remove damaged equipment from the roadway. The video review system ensures operation, including at night.
Assault specialization
Since the first months of the special military operation, Russian troops have faced the need to regularly storm the fortified areas of the VFU. Especially powerful defensive structures turned out to be in the Donbas, where they were built for eight years. This required the Russian troops to adapt to new conditions and changes in tactics. Specialized assault units equipped with weapons and equipment to break through enemy defenses began to form in the units. Since last year, the military department has decided to scale up this experience and create reconnaissance and assault brigades in combined arms armies.
Many of the vehicles in service with the engineering troops can be effectively used for assault operations, military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia. In particular, as the experience of a special military operation has shown, the remote mine clearance system can be used as a means of hitting strongholds and fortified areas.
One of the Uran-6 sapper robots on the territory of Mariupol airport. August 2022
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
— When a rope filled with TNT hits and is blown up, the effect of an exploding projectile or an air bomb appears, while the enemy's stronghold is destroyed, — he explained. — It is clear that until a certain time we had a limited number of such funds, but they are needed in order to ensure the passage of our troops. It is also necessary to clear the fields. For this purpose, the Uran-6 robotic mine clearance system is used, which is now actively used in the SVO zone. Because the enemy leaves vast minefields, the map of which he himself does not know.
According to the expert, there are a huge number of such minefields in areas where fighting has been going on for more than nine years, so when Russian troops liberate settlements, it is also important to carry out mine clearance.
A serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation conducts demonstrative demining of the area using the robotic mine clearance complex "Uran-6" as part of the celebration of the Day of Engineering Troops in the "Sapper Village" of a separate engineer regiment in the Moscow region
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Maxim Blinov
— Also, such units need to quickly erect fortifications. That is, we are destroying an enemy stronghold, and our servicemen need to gain a foothold in this area, so they need to build fortifications, engineering machines do this," explained Alexey Leonkov.
The reorientation of engineering troops to assault operations can be assessed in a positive way, military expert Viktor Murakhovsky told Izvestia.
— Assault units of engineering troops are equipped better than conventional units. In particular, they have improved protective equipment, devices and equipment designed for assault. But I must say that this is not an easy task. If they decide to put these units into battle, then it needs to be strengthened, primarily from the side of individual means of protection against drones and their use by themselves," the expert explained.
Engineering machines
In recent years, the Ministry of Defense has been conducting a large-scale reform of the engineering troops. They are being transformed from support units into an independent strike force capable of participating in modern warfare. The actions of the sappers are no longer limited only to the construction of fortifications, clearing the route of troops and building bridges — now they are also focused on storming fortified areas, covert mining and rapid clearing of explosive devices.
Battalions of sappers-stormtroopers are being created in all brigades of the district and naval subordination, and engineering regiments in the armies are replenished with the same companies.
Remote mining system "Agriculture" at the strategic command and staff exercises "Vostok-2022" at the Sergeyevsky training ground
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vadim Savitsky
New equipment is constantly being sent to the engineering troops. In particular, since last year, engineering systems for remote mining "Agriculture" have been received in the part. They look like multiple rocket launchers and work on the same principle, that is, they fire 122 mm rockets. However, when they hit the ground, they do not explode, but bury themselves and are cocked into a fighting position.
The "Agriculture" system includes a combat vehicle based on a highly mobile KamAZ vehicle, a transport-loading vehicle and transport-launching containers with engineering ammunition. It has two packages of 25 missiles equipped with mines of various types. The range of the ammunition is from 5 to 15 km, which allows you to quickly cover any direction with minefields.
Alexey Mikhailov
Julia Leonova
Andrey Fedorov