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The Economist: The detailed account from Valery Zaluzhny, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, on what Ukraine needs to gain an upper hand in its conflict with Russia. Zaluzhny identifies the current stage of the conflict as a “positional” war—characterized by static and attritional fighting—rather than a “maneuver” war, which involves movement and speed.
Key points Zaluzhny mentions for Ukraine to gain an advantage include:
1. Air Power: Controlling the skies is critical. Ukraine has a limited number of functional warplanes, and the need to level the playing field against Russia’s air force is essential. Drones are suggested as a viable solution for reconnaissance and air strikes.
2. Electronic Warfare (EW): Jamming communication and navigation signals are vital for controlling drone warfare. Despite progress in building electronic protection systems, Ukraine lags behind Russia in EW technology.
3. Counter-Battery Fire: Defeating Russian artillery is crucial, given that it makes up the majority of military tasks. Ukraine needs better artillery-reconnaissance equipment and must improve its local GPS capabilities to counter Russian jamming techniques.
4. Mine-Breaching Technology: Clearing Russian minefields is a huge challenge. Innovative technologies like radar-like sensors and smoke-projection systems are needed.
5. Reserves: Increasing the ability to mobilize and train more reserves is essential. This includes fixing legislative gaps and introducing new programs like a “combat internship.”
Zaluzhny concludes that Ukraine needs to invest in a range of technologies and capabilities, from air power and electronic warfare to counter-battery capabilities and mine-breaching technology, to change the nature of the conflict back into a war of manoeuvre.
The entire article can be read at the link https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2023/11/01/the-commander-in-chief-of-ukraines-armed-forces-on-what-he-needs-to-beat-russia
