- Ukrainian’s shock offensive on Russia’s Kursk region came as a surprise even to Ukraine’s soldiers.
- “We joked that it wasn’t April 1st,” a Ukrainian soldier told The Economist.
- The country’s troops did suspect that an invasion was imminent after they were issued new equipment.
Decentralized command is/was official doctrine in the Swedish military too. A single squadron in the woods, with a few fighter jets and a remote airstrip, is an independent entity in the Swedish military, intended to operate behind enemy lines, independent of the rest of the military.
However this only works for guerilla warfare, and Ukraine isn’t at the point of insurgency yet. There is some partisan warfare in occupied Ukraine, but the majority of Ukraine’s army is not behind enemy lines. It would be a lot harder for Ukraine to protect civilians and rearm if they downgraded to guerilla tactics.
Not to mention, comparing Afghanistan with Ukraine is such a nonsensical comparison. Russia is dedicating their entire army to Ukraine, and conscripting tens of thousands of soldiers. Russia loses more soldiers in a day than the US lost during the entire 20 year occupation.
Believe me, Russia would not have a fun time trying to occupy the entirety of Ukraine, and that’s why they won’t win this war. But the fact that Ukraine still has a coherent military has helped them defend their country, and helped preserve Ukraine from descending into complete chaos.