Russia Revives WWII-era Technology for River Crossings in Kursk Region

Russia has resorted to outdated technology from the World War II era to facilitate river crossings in its ongoing operations in the Kursk region.

This approach, which was initially developed by the British Army during the Second World War, involved attaching metal spans to the chassis of tanks to create makeshift bridges for traversing battlefield gaps.

According to Forbes, Russian forces are now deploying modified BTR-D airborne vehicles in a similar manner. These 13-ton tracked vehicles are outfitted with what appears to be wooden platforms, allowing them to function as improvised bridges when submerged in riverbeds.

This adaptation is reportedly being utilized to address the challenges posed by Ukrainian strikes on conventional bridges and pontoon crossings in the area.

The modified BTR-D vehicles have been observed most frequently on the western edge of the Kursk salient, where Russian forces have launched counterattacks since November. The Ukrainian military has targeted civilian bridges, engineered crossings, and purpose-built bridging vehicles in an effort to disrupt Russian troop movements.

While the BTR-D platforms are vulnerable to mines, missiles, artillery, and drones, they offer certain advantages over more traditional crossing methods. The vehicles’ speed—up to 40 miles per hour on roads—makes them less susceptible to prolonged targeting compared to stationary bridges or slower engineering equipment.

Ukrainian forces have successfully destroyed at least two BTR-D bridging vehicles since November. Despite these losses, the improvised platforms have enabled Russian troops to cross the Snahist River and engage in combat near the village of Darino.

Earlier, Russian forces intensified shelling in Sudzha and nearby villages in the Kursk region, according to Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, a spokesperson for the temporary military command in Russia. The strikes, which include S-300 missiles and FPV drones, have resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction.