RUSSIA’S LOGITICAL CHALLENGES DURING FIRST STAGE OF THE CONFLICT WITH UKRAINE.

INTRODUCTION THEME: THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES OF THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT AND LESSONS LEARNT TITLE:- RUSSIA’S LOGITICAL CHALLENGES DURING FIRST STAGE OF THE CONFLICT WITH UKRAINE. “Amateurs discuss tactics; Professionals discuss logistics” Someone. On February 24th 2022, Russia initiated a “special military operation” that was a catalyst in the conflict with Ukraine. The conflict began on two fronts, with what appeared to be two operational objectives; on the North-West with the objective of capturing Kyev and on the East and South East with the objective of capturing the Donbas Region and establish a land corridor between Donbas and Crimea( https://sjms.nu/articles/10.31374/sjms.158 ) The disparity between the Armed Forces of Russia and Ukraine, resulted in the misconception by top Russian officials and external experts that the Russia’s military operation would have concluded in a matter of weeks. Numerous difficulties have arisen as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, especially in the field of logistics. Numerous circumstances made it difficult for the logistics infrastructure, which was necessary for the transfer of soldiers, supplies, and equipment, to operate. The purpose of this research is to examine the logistical challenges Russia experienced during the first stage of the conflict ,while highlighting the impact of supply of the various classes of supply on its operational capabilities. As a result of the large geographic area of the theater of operations, Russia faced logistical difficulties early in the fight (Grono & Grinberg, 2017). The Russian military’s logistical capabilities were strained when it came to moving soldiers and equipment over large distances, frequently through challenging terrain. Further impeding Russia’s access to some supply sources and logistical channels was the complex political and diplomatic climate surrounding the conflict. According to Solomon and Vukovic (2019), Western sanctions compelled Russia to explore less effective logistics methods, which hindered its capacity to procure essential classes of supply, more notably Class I, III, V VIII and IX. Apart from that, Russia faced logistical difficulties due to the dynamic nature of the battlefield and the fast deployments that characterize modern warfare. In order to mitigate this, flexible and responsive logistical systems were necessary in order to adjust to the dynamics of the conflict and make sure that resources reached frontline units on time, but these systems weren’t always easily accessible (Wendover Productions, 2020).