Russia’s Military Fails to Adhere to Its Own Doctrine in Ukraine Conflict
The Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine has come at a huge cost, with experts pointing to the failure of Russian commanders to follow their own military doctrine as a key reason for their poor performance in the conflict.
According to Scott Boston, a Russia military expert at the RAND Corp., Russian troops have frequently erred on the basics of military operations, leading to significant losses on the battlefield. The Russians also lacked the necessary invasion force size to effectively implement their warfighting doctrine.
The US Army’s manual on Russian tactics, ATP7-100.1, outlines the principles that Russian soldiers are supposed to follow in combat. However, Russian forces have deviated from these guidelines, resulting in disastrous outcomes in Ukraine.
For example, when Russia attempted to seize Kyiv with a lightning advance, their armored columns were ambushed and decimated by Ukrainian forces. Instead of following their doctrine of rapid and well-coordinated maneuver, Russian attacks have relied on overwhelming Ukrainian defenses with artillery and large numbers of infantry.
The failure to adhere to their own doctrine has led to an estimated 450,000 Russian casualties and the destruction of thousands of tanks. Despite having sound aspects in their defense strategy, Russian forces have struggled to effectively execute their military operations in Ukraine.
As experts analyze the missteps of the Russian military, questions remain about whether a different approach could have led to a quicker victory for Russia. Ultimately, the failure to follow their own doctrine has proven costly for Russian forces, highlighting the importance of adhering to established military principles in combat.