Russian forces in Ukraine are increasingly relying on civilian taxis to evacuate wounded soldiers from the front lines in the occupied Donetsk region.

The development, highlighted by Daniil Bezsonov, a pro-Russian military blogger and former Deputy Minister of Information of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), follows a controversial decision by the Russian military to ban the use of privately owned and humanitarian vehicles. This policy, reportedly introduced to curb accidents involving drunk drivers, has disrupted logistics and battlefield operations across the region.

According to Bezsonov, taxis have become a critical stopgap solution, with drivers transporting injured personnel from evacuation points to hospitals. 

“At the moment, our fighters are forced to rely on brave taxi drivers who agree to pick up the wounded from the evacuation point and transport them to the hospital,” he wrote. I am immensely grateful to the taxi drivers involved in this. I hope that using taxis won’t be prohibited.”

The decision to confiscate civilian vehicles has created a severe logistical crisis, as more than 90% of light vehicles at the front are privately owned or donated. With these vehicles unavailable, some soldiers have resorted to bicycles to move ammunition, while others hide vehicles from commanders to avoid penalties.

Further complicating matters, commanders in the Southern Military District have reportedly issued audio orders threatening the death penalty for soldiers caught using civilian transportation. This has escalated fears among already struggling units.

The vehicle ban has also exposed broader weaknesses in Russia’s military logistics. Heavy losses of military vehicles since the invasion began have left Russian forces increasingly reliant on civilian resources.