In a major study entitled “Ukraine at War. Paving the way from survival to victory” two British scientists have examined how the war has developed so far – and what the strategies of Russia and Ukraine could look like in the future.
In the section on command and command in the Ukrainian military, the authors describe how the troops operate to date: “Command groups are more like debates, in which the commander’s statement of mission objective leads to a chaotic discussion that allows all participants to ask questions, raise concerns and ideas. The result is often an innovative and technically complex tactical scheme and is a major reason for Ukraine’s widespread tactical successes.”
This approach is particularly good because it “maximizes the contribution of motivated soldiers with an abundance of creativity and a wide range of skills,” the authors write. But he carries a risk.
Because it cannot be applied on a large scale. In battalions or brigades – with which offensive actions are most feasible – commanders often have to make decisions “in which they trade the risk of one part of their forces for the advantage of another part,” say the experts. However, this cannot be achieved by consensus, “but by a uniform command, a clear command process and mechanisms for monitoring the execution of commands”.
However, in many Ukrainian units “there is a lack of planning staff and non-commissioned officers who could monitor the execution of quickly transmitted orders,” according to the study. This makes the transition from defense to offense “a challenge”.
This means that if Ukraine wants to defeat Russia and not just defend itself against the attacks, it must change its authority and command structure.
