Vladimir Putin’s decision to call up reservists is a sign of Russia’s desperation. It is also unlikely to do anything to address the real problem facing the country’s military: the woeful way in which its troops are organised.
‘No plan of operations,’ wrote Moltke the Elder in 1871, ‘extends with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the main enemy forces.’ The Russian military struggled from the outset in Ukraine, but particular structural issues within the army itself have exacerbated their woes. Sending more troops to Ukraine risks simply plugging gaps left by poor military structuring.
The war in Ukraine has highlighted many weaknesses in the command of Russia’s armed forces
One major limitation of success for the Russian military is its relative lack of non-commissioned officers. NCOs are officers who have usually risen through the enlisted ranks, and are generally considered to be essential components of modern armies. Most armies entrust NCOs with control over the means and methods to complete tactical objectives – in stark contrast to Russia’s use of them.
Russia’s armed forces do contain NCOs, but they fail to hold the same responsibilities that their western counterparts do.
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