Garage Industry: The Ukrainian Attack Buggies Made From Recycled Parts

Volodymyr Tarhov stands alongside a Fast Attack Vehicle in a garage in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya region. 

Tarhov and his friend, Dmytro, design and make attack buggies, which are being supplied to the Ukrainian military. 

A buggy being tested on August 12. 

"There's a vehicle for every task," Tarhov says. "Our buggies can't drive with the power of an armored personnel carrier. But they're mobile, light, hard to aim for, and virtually impossible to destroy with an anti-tank missile." 

Dmytro (pictured) spends nearly all of his free time in the garage constructing the buggies. He and Tarhov have produced five vehicles from scratch so far, with another five in the making.
 

Dmytro (right) and another volunteer working on a buggy. 

The speedy transports lack armor but offer soldiers a nearly unobstructed field of fire, and can be turned around on a dime if an urgent retreat is needed. Buggies are used to transport soldiers and ammunition, and can evacuate wounded fighters from the front line. 

The vehicles produced in the Zaporizhzhya garage are fitted with a stretcher on each side. 

Various materials are used for the buggies' construction, including used car engines, which Tarhov and Dmytro purchase with donations. 

Dmytro working on a part. 

Since early in the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainian forces have utilized buggies for off-road tasks. In April 2022, some were seen fitted with anti-tank missiles that were apparently used for lightning raids on Russian armor. 

 

Dmytro preparing one of the vehicles for testing. 

"Even if (a part) is just slightly worn out, we still replace it for another spare part," Dmytro told Reuters, "Why? Because the buggy is going on a mission, it has to function, it shouldn't stop driving and let its (crew) down, ever. This is the only correct way to construct and maintain these buggies. We take it very seriously, very seriously," he said.