Russian-sourced GoPro footage of a failed infantry assault by a reconnaissance unit assigned to a naval infantry brigade in in the vicinity of Marinka. The footage shows troops huddled atop an APC as it advances into a showy field. The camera operator looks to the rear, showing what appears to be an MTLB battle El Camino following in trace. The vehicle is disabled – according to the source it was a BMP-3, although the indicators are not clear in the footage. The dismounts tumble to the ground and deploy in a bid to advance across the tundra. The camera operator fires at an unseen foe and there is some attempt to conduct fire and movement. A soldier to the right of the camera operator is dropped and lays still, and for a moment the camera operator tucks himself lower to the ground before switching to full auto and returning fire. Another soldier rushes forward, ostensibly to attend to the fallen man. Control seems to break down a bit as several soldiers dash across the camera operator’s line of fire. There is a cut and troops are seen breaking contact. After another cut, the camera operator jumps into defilade alongside a machine gunner firing a PKM. There appears to be another man in the rear of the position taking cover.

The unit engaged is likely an element of the 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, normally assigned to the Pacific Fleet and based in Vladivostok. The brigade participated in operations near Vuhledar in November 2022 and in the winter/spring offensive of 2023, suffering significant casualties on both occasions, including the loss of at least thirteen tanks and twelve BMPs destroyed. The Institute for the Study of War has cited reports indicating that the brigade has been reconstituted at least eight times, and at present consists of poorly trained mobilized soldiers.

At a minimum, this video serves as a reminder that fighting in the snow truly sucks. However, a little analysis reveals a few more points which can be gleaned from this footage. The first is the chaotic state of Russian units regarding vehicle and equipment sets. In the Soviet and Russian systems certain types of vehicles were assigned to certain units depending on status, location, mission parameters, etc. Under the Soviet system, A-tier units in a shock army might have employed T-80 main battle tanks of a single variant and BMP-2 IFVs, while less regarded units fielded older equipment sets. The same applied to the Russian system, in theory. Despite the wide array of vehicle generations and types in the Russian military, efforts were made to tailor the equipment to the unit and its mission, simplifying issues of employment, maintenance, and resupply. Whatever consistency their might have been in unit equipment sets at the start of the war has vanished as destroyed vehicles are replaced with whatever can be pressed into service, and most of the videos on the market, like this one, feature a hodgepodge of vehicle types.

Another aspect of this footage worth noting is the slipshod nature of this attack and the lack of support received by this unit. The terrain they attempt to traverse is flat with little micro terrain to offer protection. Once the vehicles are destroyed, infantry must then advance across open ground, an unhappy prospect, and yet there is little indication that indirect fire supported their advance or withdrawal. For human wave attacks to succeed they must at least threaten the defenders, and yet these troops have little chance of accomplishing that task.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs Triumph Sailing, a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through adventure and fellowship on the water. Triumph Sailing just completed its big yearly event, an offshore race in the Gulf of Mexico with an all veteran crew. You can support the mission and next year's sailing season at Tri-Sail.Org.