//top\\: Ushkuyniks

They sacked these Upper Volga cities; the destruction of Kostroma was so severe it had to be rebuilt in a new location. Sarai Berke & Astrakhan

The ushkuy was the key to Ushkuynik success. Two main types existed: ushkuyniks

The Ushkuyniks (Russian: Ушкуйники ) were semi-autonomous armed bands of river pirates, traders, and colonizers originating from the Novgorod Republic between the 11th and 15th centuries. Operating from specialized rivercraft called ushkuy , they raided, traded, and exacted tribute along the Volga, Kama, and Vyatka river systems. Unlike the earlier Varangians (Vikings) who moved from sea to river, the Ushkuyniks were a purely Slavic-Russian phenomenon, driven by Novgorod’s commercial interests, surplus military manpower, and the political decentralization of the Russian principalities during the Mongol-Tatar Yoke (1237–1480). They are often called “the last river Vikings of the Middle Ages.” They sacked these Upper Volga cities; the destruction

: They were essentially the "Vikings of the East," using light, shallow-draft boats called ushkuy to navigate the river systems of northern Russia and the Volga . Operating from specialized rivercraft called ushkuy , they

: These unjammable drones have been deployed on battlefields in Ukraine to strike logistical hubs and armored vehicles with high precision .