- Since Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian troops have skilled intently with the US army.
- That features Ukraine’s special-operations forces, which have doubled in dimension over that interval.
- Since Moscow started its newest assault in February, these Ukrainians have wreaked havoc on the Russians
Three months into the battle, the Ukrainian army has awed the world with its spectacular protection in opposition to the invading Russian forces.
Ukrainian special-operations forces have performed an enormous half in that resistance. However to develop these expertise, Ukraine’s operators have been working onerous for years and studying from the perfect.
How the US helped Ukraine’s commandos
Romanian military/Capt. Roxana Davidovits
Since 2014, US special-operations forces have been coaching their Ukrainian counterparts on just about each ability set and mission set conceivable.
The years-long effort by the US and its NATO allies to coach their Ukrainian counterparts has created a stable army drive with a sturdy non-commissioned corps. It additionally created a cadre of potential recruits for Ukrainian special-operations models, serving to these models not solely get higher however greater.
“Our special-operations forces assist develop and work with different allies to come back into Ukraine and assist construct up the Ukrainian special-operations forces,” Gen. Richard Clarke, the pinnacle of US Particular Operations Command, advised members of the Home Armed Companies Committee at a listening to in April.
Since that coaching started eight years in the past, these Ukrainian forces have “doubled in dimension,” Clarke stated.
Andriy Ageev/Ukrainian Ministry of Protection
The SOCOM boss acknowledged that the US effort to coach Ukraine’s particular operators was broad and included typical US troops and Nationwide Guard models. (Particular-operations troops from the UK and different NATO militaries have additionally skilled Ukrainians.)
Clarke highlighted that Ukrainian particular operators have additionally added new capabilities, with US operators bringing them up to the mark on operational planning, city warfare, and small-unit ways, amongst different issues. However it’s within the unconventional-warfare mission set the place the Ukrainians have realized probably the most.
Earlier than the primary Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, Ukrainian particular operators had been aligned with Russian doctrine and apply. As former Soviet republic, Ukraine’s army was closely influenced — and in plenty of methods, it nonetheless is — by the Soviet mannequin.
That historical past means there weren’t plenty of variations between Ukrainian and Russian particular operators, however that has fully modified after eight years of coaching with Western commandos.
Romanian military/Capt. Roxana Davidovits
As we speak, Ukraine’s army has a reliable special-operations element that may sort out any drawback that Russia throws at it.
Past fight expertise, US Army Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs troops labored with the Ukrainians on comfortable expertise that might enhance their effectiveness on the battlefield.
From the beginning of the present battle in February, Ukrainian forces have carried out extremely efficient info warfare. The knowledge that Ukrainians have intercepted, generally with assist, and distributed the world — radio intercepts of Russian troops in disarray and video after video of Russian {hardware} being destroyed — has compounded the humiliation of Russia’s army and safety companies.
“One facet is that it was plenty of our civil affairs, our psychological operations, and our Special Forces that had been additionally working side-by-side with Ukrainians,” Clarke advised lawmakers. “It wasn’t simply fight forces, nevertheless it was additionally different elements of particular operations that work very intently with their Ukrainian companions.”
Ukrainian special-operations forces
US Particular Operations Command Europe
Within the weeks after Russia’s assault on Ukraine started in late February, Ukrainian special-operations forces wreaked havoc behind Russian traces.
Utilizing their inherent organizational flexibility and profiting from the Russians’ lackluster force-security practices, Ukrainian particular operators took out Russian logistical convoys, ravenous Russian frontline models of ammo, gasoline, and reinforcements.
One tactic Ukrainian commandos used was the employment of small anti-tank weapon groups on quad-bikes or bikes. These cell groups might outrun and outmaneuver the cumbersome Russian columns and use anti-tank missiles or mines to take out Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry preventing automobiles.
Movies often emerged displaying Ukrainian commandos ambushing and destroying Russian mechanized columns and even elite Russian models, akin to the VDV airborne forces.
The Russian advance floor to a halt, and Russian troops have since retreated from many areas in northern and northeastern Ukraine. Ukrainian particular operators had been key to stopping the Russian advance on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, particularly.
Ukrainian particular operators have carried out admirably to date. With the battle showing to settle into a brand new, extra static, and extra grinding part, whether or not Ukraine’s army can hold pushing the Russian invaders again will depend upon greater than its commandos.
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a protection journalist specializing in particular operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (nationwide service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins College graduate.
