Ukrainian special-operations units are adapting their warfare tactics to fight against a better-equipped adversary, Russia, without the reliance on the logistical “tethers” that other militaries have grown accustomed to. Through learning how to excel in small-unit tactics and other basic military skills, the Ukrainians aim to overcome the challenges posed by their larger, but often poorly trained opponent.
Key Points:
- Ukrainian special-operations units have played a significant role in the country’s defense against Russia over the past 15 months, operating without the logistical support that many militaries are used to.
- Despite initial skepticism from Ukrainian leaders about a Russian invasion, the Ukrainian military had been preparing for such an event following Russia’s seizure of Crimea and its instigation of a separatist movement in the Donbas region in 2014.
- Eight years of conflict have taught Ukraine that a major Russian invasion would exert enormous pressure on its logistics, making the resupply of frontline units difficult. Consequently, training from the US and other NATO countries has focused on basic military skills.
- Understanding they would be up against a larger adversary, Ukrainian special operators have tailored their tactics and training to meet this challenge, ensuring they have good intelligence and temporary fire superiority when conducting an operation.
- Despite the numerical superiority of the Russians, well-planned raids based on timely intelligence conducted by a well-trained force have shown to be likely successful.
Source: https://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-special-operators-learning-fight-124700287.html
