Five officers from very different backgrounds team up to take a critical look at the planning and conduct of operations in Ukraine. This analysis was carried out as part of the training for senior officer candidates (2022-2023 session) at the Belgian Defence College. Their contributions are compiled into a ‘Focus Paper’ resulting from a collaboration between the Belgian Military Review and the Land Operations Chair at the Defence College.
In the first part, entitled ‘Seize and Retain Hostomel Airport (Kiev)’, Bart Leenders and Jason Marchal analyse both the Russian operation to seize and retain Hostomel Airport (Kiev) and the Ukrainian reaction from 24 to 27 February 2022.
In ‘De eenhoorn van Charkiv’, Philip Schrooten draws lessons from the informational manoeuvre of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the third part, ‘Sustainment of operations: think out of the box!’, Gilles Marx and Thomas Dries focus on the ‘sustainment’ dimension of operations and underline the importance of creativity on the battlefield.

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(Only available in Dutch/French)

Source photos: www.dvidshub.net

Focus Paper Special Issue

The war in Ukraine through
the lens of joint functions

Thomas DRIES
Bart LEENDERS
Jason MARCHAL
Gilles MARX
Philip SCHROOTEN