A Russian warlord said he’s taking Cybertrucks into Ukraine; some experts think that’s unwise

In August, a Russian warlord posted a video on Telegram, showing a pair of Cybertrucks patrolling a road in Chechnya, armed seemingly with heavy machine guns. Leaving aside unanswerable (for now) questions about how the vehicles were obtained, Wired thought it worth digging into whether a Cybertruck actually makes sense as a “technical,” the term for modified civilian rides used by militaries and military groups.

What did the outlet find? Well, it’s complicated. One expert noted the Cybertrucks’ stainless steel makeup can take some abuse, and that they’re fast and quiet, a plus in a stealth operation. A second expert described the trucks’ heavy reliance on software as potentially catastrophic; they’re also insanely heavy, making maneuverability and traction on certain terrains tough. (As a reminder, they appear not to do all that well in sand.)

Said a third expert to Wired: “It’s great that [the Cybertruck] is safe in a crash and can take a bullet. But if you break a control arm and can’t get the part, it’s pretty useless.”