Assabah Khan Yousufzai
Russian Asymmetrical doctrine of warfare emphasizes combined-arms warfare as well as operational warfare. It emphasizes the initiation of military hostilities at a time, date & location of its choosing on terms of its choosing and the extensive preparation of battle space for operations. Russia’s concept of “Hybrid Warfare” or Gerasimov Doctrine – a term used to describe a blend of conventional, Irregular, Political & Cyber Warfare –was coined to describe the Russian Military Tactics. In 2017A.D., 61-page Russian New Generation Warfare Handbook appeared on the scene based on observation of Russian tactics in Ukraine and Syria. The handbook reveals the intimidating picture of a military ready to combine old strengths in artillery and anti-aircraft systems with new technologies & tactics leveraging drones, electronic warfare, information warfare and massed sniper fire.“New Generation” or “4th-Generation” warfare is founded on a recognition that old Soviet-era “Deep Battle” tactics emphasizing huge armored formations deploying to battle in echelon had to be improved upon compared to Soviet Red Army tactics. Modern Russian units are evolving into smaller more flexible formations. New Russian Military unit is the Battalion Tactical Group which can be tailored for specific missions by the addition of anti-aircraft, electronic-warfare and artillery units. At the operational level, Russia has moved away from a force organized around large divisions to smaller well-rounded brigades- though the divisional echelon may soon be reemphasized to ease administrative burdens.Moscow prefers to rely on local boys to do brunt of fighting. Moscow has made increasing use of allied local forces and boys to lead operations in Ukraine and Syria, emphasized by Russian Military advisors, military equipment and training. This tactic creates useful effects for successful Russian military operations: “ Additional Manpower, gaining ground and Precision targets” Local boys free up conventional Russian military units and assets to intervene in the sectors they are most needed. They also help in political legitimacy to Russian military operations. Indeed Moscow is placing renewed emphasis on “Information warfare” to mould the human terrain of a conflict zone in its favour.Russia uses the local boys, denies the involvement of its forces, confuses its adversaries. This was evident in the Conflict in Ukraine, when the Governments reaction was initially paralyzed by uncertainty as to whether it faced with Russian invasion or a purely local uprising.Moscow uses “Cyber Warfare” and “Information Operations” for offensive ends. Moscow has invested to an unparalleled degree in an Information Warfare apparatus designed to manipulate foreign public opinion & break into adversary computer systems for both political & military ends. These hacking and disinformation campaigns have high possible rewards and are done at limited risk to Russia. Moscow employs professional hackers and internet trolls for such operations.The propaganda generated by the low level sources helps mould international opinion to Moscows preferred narratives.Russian military relies on artillery to destroy enemy formations. Russia adores “God of war” and Russian tactics emphasize artillery as a decisive instrument for destroying enemy formations, while maneuver units handle mopping up the survivors. Self propelled artillery vehicles accompany troops on offensive maneuvers. Russian military seeks to keep enemy at arm’s length from its frontline positions so that the artillery can blast enemy troops without hitting friendly forces. Moscow has been long wielding more and bigger guns as a means to compensate for its forces. Russian Army values large scale area bombardments with overwhelming volumes of firepower, from deadly multiple rocket-launcher systems such as BM-30 Smerch.In Ukraine, the wide scale adoption of drones has been a “game changer” in the effectiveness of artillery. Russian forces using drone spotters have delivered deadly artillery fires against Ukrainian formations on the move that inflicted over a hundred casualties in one attack. Russian artillery’s strength is its centralized command and control structure , which makes it easy for frontline troops to request for fire missions through single line Military Administration. Russian forces deploy snipers. In World war II Russian military made use of snipers to degrade enemy morale and eliminate key unit leaders. Moscow has reinvested in elite sniper units by acquiring modern sniper rifles, suppressors, ammunition, sights & producing deadly T-5000 sniper rifle. In Ukraine, Russia has deployed platoon-sized sniper units in depth on narrow fronts, with most elite sharpshooters deployed over a mile to the rear while local boys man the frontline. These sniper fronts can pin down larger enemy formations with accurate fire- then call down artillery strikes on the immobilized enemy to inflict even greater casualties. Only two tactical responses are advised- disengage immediately at the cost of some casualties, to avoid getting hit by an artillery strike or reply with accurate sniper or heavy-weapons fire.Anti-access / area- denial weapons target enemies Air and logistical support. Russia has invested heavily in a diverse array of anti-aircraft systems, from short range man-portable surface-to-air missiles & anti air craft vehicles at the battalion level to “strategic” S-300 or S-400 missiles that can threaten aircraft hundreds of miles away. They are designed to overlap into an integrated network that can only be dismantled with great care.In Ukraine, Russian forces deployed a variety of anti-aircraft systems that shot down Frogfoot attack jets , helicopter transports , gunships, fully loaded cargo plane forcing Ukrainian Air Force to stop providing tactical air support. Due to density of anti-air threat Russian Air defenses are invincible and enemies are able to count on only sporadic air support. Russia has placed emphasis on accurate tactical ballistic missiles like Iskander to deliver air strikes. This means rear-area command & logistical units would be subject to deadly strikes, even if enemy secures air-superiority. Electronic Warfare threatens dependence on communications & sensors. Russian electronic-warfare batteries wield a multitude of systems to jam or spy upon frontline communication systems___ including radio, cellular, satellite and even Global positioning Systems. (GPS ). Russian Electronic Warfare ( EW) units may transmit misleading data to lure enemy forces into a trap & signal intercept devices & electromagnetic sensors can detect the position of opposing communication & sensor nodes and direct precise artillery fires to destroy them. These are not hypothetical capabilities. They have been demonstrated in the war in Ukraine. Russian electronic warfare units shut down communications to frontline Ukrainian positions & directed deadly attacks on their headquarter units. All the assertions alongwith rise of China point to the fact that US is no more Superpower in the World.
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