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Ukraine Takes Out Russia’s Unique River-Crossing System in First Registered Hit

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
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Ukraine Takes Out Russia’s Unique River-Crossing System in First Registered Hit
Wreckage of a rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways, KRVD in the Chornyi Zherebets river after Ukrainian FPV drone strikes, April 9, 2025. (Source: 66th Mechanized Brigade)

Ukrainian forces from the 66th Mechanized Brigade “Prince Mstyslav the Brave” destroyed a rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways—marking the first confirmed loss of such equipment since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The brigade published images of the destroyed system on April 20.

According to the unit, the Russian road deployment complex was struck by FPV drones as it attempted to assist in building a river crossing over the Chornyi Zherebets in the East of Ukraine on April 9.

The vehicle was a part of the Temporary Road Deployment Complex (KRVD), a specialized Russian military system adopted in 2018 to allow rapid passage of heavy machinery over rough or marshy terrain.

The destroyed unit blocked the crossing point entirely, preventing Russian armored vehicles from launching an assault in that sector of the front.

Russian forces work on removing the wreckage of a rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways, KRVD in the Chornyi Zherebets river after Ukrainian FPV drone strikes, April 20, 2025. (Source: 66th Mechanized Brigade)
Russian forces work on removing the wreckage of a rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways, KRVD in the Chornyi Zherebets river after Ukrainian FPV drone strikes, April 20, 2025. (Source: 66th Mechanized Brigade)

However, on April 20, during the so-called Easter ceasefire—and under orders to fire only in response—Russian troops tried to clear the crossing. They deployed more than ten soldiers and another specialized vehicle to remove the wreckage.

The KRVD system consists of two sets mounted on the KamAZ-63501 chassis. Each set can quickly unroll and retrieve 50 meters (about 164 feet) of roadway.

Together, they can lay down 100 meters of temporary road, 4.6 meters wide (over 15 feet), capable of supporting wheeled vehicles with axle loads up to 12 tons and tracked vehicles up to 60 tons.

Rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways, KRVD, during an exhibition. (Photo: open source)
Rare Russian engineering vehicle used to deploy temporary roadways, KRVD, during an exhibition. (Photo: open source)

The system takes just five minutes to deploy. As the vehicle drives backward, it presses the flexible matting into place, making it suitable for marshes, muddy areas, or approaches to bridges and riverbanks—terrain that typically hinders heavily armored movement.

Earlier, Ukrainian troops destroyed a Russian locomotive for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Aerial footage shows a drone strike targeting a locomotive on a railway line in temporarily occupied territory. The locomotive was reportedly used to transport military equipment and supplies to Russian forces.

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