Report: Russia Can't Maneuver Due To Its Limitations, Ukrainian Capabilities

Russian commanders would like to be able to conduct maneuver warfare but are incapable of doing so due to their own technological, organizational and command limitations which are compounded by Ukraine's capabilities. 

This state of affairs is not expected to change in the near future. JL 

Olena Ivashkiv reports in Ukraine Pravda:

Russian troops are trying to employ Soviet deep battle theory for planning to quickly break through Ukrainian defences but could not achieve it due to Ukraine's combat capabilities. The limited capabilities of Russian forces, specifically in effective counter-battery fire, engaging targets at operational depth, concealing force concentrations from the adversary, and countering Ukrainian technological parity, prevent Russian forces from achieving the surprise effect at the operational level necessary to break through Ukrainian defence lines and conduct deep operations. The Russian military cannot implement large-scale operations using UAVs, command, control and communications using modern technology.

Ukrainian military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets has reported that Russian forces are seeking to regain manoeuvre on the battlefield using the Soviet deep battle theory but have so far failed to implement it due to Ukraine's current capabilities.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Mashovets stated that Russian troops were trying to employ Soviet deep battle theory for operational planning to quickly break through Ukrainian defences but could not achieve the effect of Soviet operations, which implemented this tactic.

The deep battle theory refers to a product of Soviet operational art developed in the 1920s and 1930s designed to restore manoeuvre to the battlefield after World War I.

This required engaging the adversary forces on several fronts and in-depth at the tactical and operational levels by targeting their assets at all echelons with artillery and airstrikes and attacking the rear in combination with frontal attacks to break through defensive lines.

Deep battle theory also suggests that successful operational planning includes sequential operation planning to prevent the adversary forces from recovering coherent defensive positions after being breached.

The key operational principles of deep battle theory remain relevant in modern warfare, and the Russian military could be able to regain battlefield manoeuvre and overcome Ukrainian defences if they managed to successfully plan and execute operationally sound actions.

The Ukrainian army could also use deep battle theory to regain battlefield manoeuvre in its favour if its Western partners properly supplied it with resources.

Mashovets, however, noted that the current limited capabilities of Russian forces, specifically in conducting effective counter-battery fire, engaging targets at operational depth, concealing force concentrations from the adversary, and countering Ukrainian technological parity, prevent Russian forces from achieving the surprise effect at the operational level necessary to break through Ukrainian defence lines and conduct deep operations.

Mashovets pointed out that the Russian military command cannot implement certain technological innovations in operational planning, such as remote mine planting, large-scale operations using UAVs, command-and-control and communications using modern technology.

The ISW added that Ukraine's current combat capabilities deprive Russian forces of the ability to regain manoeuvre on the battlefield on Russian terms. However, it is heavily dependent on Western military assistance in core areas. Only the United States can provide most of the necessary aid.