Viktoriya Fedorchak, "The Russia-Ukraine War: Towards Resilient Fighting Power" (Routledge, 2024)
Jan 28, 2025
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Viktoriya Fedorchak, a Lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University, dives into the complexities of the Russia-Ukraine war in her latest work. She emphasizes the historical lens necessary to understand military evolution and resilience. The discussion explores Ukraine's military transformation post-Soviet era, the challenges of researching an ongoing conflict, and strategic shifts in maritime and cyber warfare. Unpacking the dynamics of modern military strategies, she highlights the importance of allied support and innovative approaches in current and future conflicts.
The concept of resilient fighting power emphasizes the need for adaptable strategies and innovative approaches to succeed in prolonged conflicts.
The transformation of Ukraine's military from Soviet-era practices to Western standards illustrates the impact of historical context on modern military strategy.
The importance of integrating multi-domain operations and civilian-military collaboration is highlighted as crucial for effective defense against adversarial advances.
Deep dives
Introduction to Resilient Fighting Power
The concept of resilient fighting power is defined as the ability of a military force to recover from stressors and maintain its operational capabilities during prolonged conflict. This concept highlights the importance of developing flexible strategies and innovative approaches to adapt to changing battlefield conditions. For example, the Ukrainian military has demonstrated resilience by effectively utilizing volunteer movements and engaging civilian support to bolster their operations against a numerically superior adversary. Additionally, the evolving nature of warfare emphasizes the need to incorporate lessons learned from real-time conflict experiences to enhance future military strategies.
The Role of Historical Context
Understanding the historical context of the Ukraine-Russia conflict is crucial for analyzing the evolution of military doctrines on both sides. Ukraine's military has transitioned from its Soviet-era legacy to adopting Western standards and practices, especially following the 2014 annexation of Crimea. This change involved not only modernization of military forces but also the integration of volunteer support systems that have proven effective during the ongoing war. Conversely, Russia's military doctrine has become increasingly aggressive under Vladimir Putin, showing a stark contrast in strategic approaches between the two nations.
Employment of Multi-Domain Operations
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the significance of multi-domain operations that integrate land, air, and maritime strategies effectively. Though conventional wisdom predicted a return to formality in warfare, Ukraine's innovative use of modern technologies, such as drones, alongside traditional methods, has changed battle dynamics. The integration of civilian and military efforts has also proven vital, creating a well-rounded defense strategy against Russian advances. The conflict has challenged preconceived notions of warfare, demonstrating the effectiveness of combined operations in a complex and evolving conflict landscape.
Impact of Cyber and Information Warfare
Cyber operations and information warfare have played a pivotal role in shaping the perceptions and realities of the conflict in Ukraine. Russia's extensive disinformation campaigns, coupled with cyber attacks on Ukrainian and Western infrastructure, have marked a significant aspect of their military strategy. Conversely, Ukraine's ability to leverage rapid digital adaptation and engage in information sharing has enabled them to maintain resilience in the face of these threats. This multidimensional approach to warfare emphasizes the importance of understanding the interplay between military action and information in contemporary conflicts.
Future Trajectories and Lessons Learned
The war in Ukraine serves as a critical case study for modern military strategy and resilience in the face of adversity. It has underscored the necessity for nations to build adaptive and resilient forces capable of withstanding prolonged conflict and utilizing their populations effectively. Countries such as Poland and the Baltic states are already integrating lessons learned from Ukraine into their own defense strategies, emphasizing the importance of preparing both military and civilian sectors for potential conflicts. As the nature of warfare continues to evolve, adapting these insights into contemporary military frameworks will be vital for future preparedness.
Viktoriya Fedorchak'sThe Russia-Ukraine War: Towards Resilient Fighting Power(Routledge, 2024) provides a systematic analysis of the Russian-Ukraine war, using the concept of resilient fighting power to assess the operational performance of both sides during the first year of the full-scale invasion.
The Russian war in Ukraine began in 2014 and continued for eight years, before the full-scale invasion of 24 February 2022. It is not a new war, but the intensity of the warfighting revived many discussions about the conduct of inter-state warfare, which has not been seen in Europe for decades. This book does not aim to offer an exhaustive operational analysis of the war, but rather provides a preliminary systematic analysis across various domains of warfare using the concept of fighting power to assess the operational performance of both sides. First, the book discusses the conceptual component and the post-Cold War adaptations of the Soviet strategic tradition by both the Ukrainian and the Russian Armed Forces. Following that, it gives an evaluation of the various aspects of warfighting in the land, air, maritime and cyber domains. Then, the book examines the role of international allied assistance, sanctions and weapons delivery in strengthening the resilience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The book concludes with some comments on the role of inter-state warfare in the current strategic environment and future warfare.
This book will be of much interest to students of military and strategic studies, defence studies, foreign policy, Russian studies and international relations.
Viktoriya Fedorchak is a lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University. She is the author of British Air Power (2018) and Understanding Contemporary Air Power (2020).
Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history.