Smoke billowed across a field as four dirt bikes roared across it, each ridden by a pair of Ukrainian soldiers. Reaching a treeline, they slid the bikes on to their sides, dismounted and advanced with rifles raised.

In a nearby gully, more motorbikes appeared, soldiers firing from the pillion seat as they engaged targets on the move. These are the latest recruits of 425th Separate Assault Regiment, nicknamed Skala.

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