All articles tagged with #infantry
Ukraine plans to open foreign recruitment to fill 30–50% of assault and infantry roles as part of a broader wartime reform, including phased recruitment/mobilization changes and gradual release of long‑serving soldiers, plus higher infantry pay, aiming to strengthen combat units and reduce battlefield casualties in the ongoing war.
President Zelensky announced a June start for a major reform of Ukraine’s armed forces, focusing on pay increases tied to duty and effectiveness, expanded contract service, and clearer personnel management. The plan sets a minimum 30,000 hryvnias for rear positions with higher compensation for combat roles, and introduces special frontline infantry contracts worth 250,000–400,000 hryvnias depending on tasks. The reform aims to strengthen the contract-based system, clarify service terms, and allow some mobilized personnel to leave service on defined timelines, with a detailed steps and a June payment schedule to be released next week.
A Ukrainian drone commander says elite pilots are striking Russian infantry at very close range, averaging 1.44 km (0.89 miles) from the front line with 12 SBS/Unmanned Systems Forces crews deployed on about 30% of the front. In December, infantry accounted for roughly 40% of successful SBS strikes involving about 12,000 Russian soldiers, with over 1,200 strike points targeted; officials say they plan to expand crews to maintain pressure and protect troops in trenches.
Ukrainian snipers play a crucial role in the ongoing conflict with Russia, operating as part of the infantry and employing rudimentary tactics in a high-tech battlefield. With the proliferation of drones and thermal sights, snipers must adapt their strategies to remain concealed. The number of snipers in Ukraine's military is unknown, but they are divided into marksmen and scout snipers. While snipers can have a significant impact on the battlefield, their actions come with risks, as their body heat and the discharge of their weapons can easily expose them. Snipers prioritize high-value targets, such as machine-gunners, officers, and enemy snipers. Killing is a calculated and intimate experience for snipers, who often wait for hours before taking a shot.
Russia is reportedly using elite paratroopers from the VDV force as regular infantry to compensate for overstretched forces in Ukraine, despite the units likely not being at full strength. The UK Ministry of Defence stated that at least five regiments of the VDV are concentrated near the frontline village of Robotyne, with the situation likely displeasing the hierarchy of the elite force. The VDV troops have likely reinforced Russia's ground forces, and this shift in their role may hinder their ability to be used for offensive operations in the future. The VDV has suffered significant losses in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The US Army has unveiled the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle, a heavily armed and armored vehicle designed to support infantry brigades by suppressing and destroying fortifications, gun systems, and trench routes, and providing protection against enemy armored vehicles. The vehicle is named after two soldiers who died in combat, Staff Sgt. Stevon Booker and Robert Booker, and is part of a larger push to update how the Army travels to combat and fights when there. The M10 resembles something between a Soviet BMP-2 amphibious infantry fighting vehicle and a small Abrams tank, and will be produced at full capacity, with the Army expecting to produce three new M10s per month.
While Western countries are delivering main battle tanks to Ukraine's military, experts argue that Ukraine needs more armored vehicles to carry infantry into battle to counterattack Russia effectively. Ukraine's large infantry force lacks the mobility to conduct a counteroffensive without these vehicles. Ukrainian forces also lack breaching equipment to penetrate and clear the numerous trench lines and minefields that Russia has constructed, especially in southern Ukraine, which is a prime target for a Ukrainian counterattack to cut off and recapture the Crimean peninsula.
Ukrainian troops have repurposed captured Russian T-80 tanks from the 1st Guards Tank Army, but face logistical issues as Russian tanks are designed for Russian forces and require a stream of parts from Russian factories to keep them running. While Ukraine needs tanks, ammunition and other spare parts are higher priorities. Ukraine also needs armored vehicles to carry infantry into battle, as large numbers of immobile infantry might work for a defense-in-depth strategy but not for going on the offensive. Ukraine does need Western tanks, for which a reliable supply of spare parts and ammunition will be available.
Ukrainian BTR-4 wheeled fighting vehicles, operated by both the army and national guard, have been effective in the battle for Bakhmut due to their speed and firepower. However, they have also suffered heavy losses from Russian attacks, with at least 77 destroyed or captured since February 2021. The BTR-4's lack of armor protection makes it vulnerable, but it can be effective with close infantry support. Despite the losses, the surviving BTR-4s continue to fight in Bakhmut.