- Western countries have sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since Russia attacked it in February 2022.
- Getting aid to Ukraine was one problem, getting it to the front lines is another.
- It is difficult for armies at war to provide the right units with the right equipment at the right time.
The willingness of the Ukrainian army and people to fight was the main reason that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans for a quick military victory failed last year, sometimes compensating for Ukraine’s shortcomings in troops and equipment.
But if grit was key to Ukraine’s early success, Western military support has been essential to Ukraine’s progress ever since.
Coalitions of dozens of countries have provided or pledged to provide nearly $60 billion. military aid To Ukraine since the war began on February 24, 2022.
Its supplies range from main battle tanks and anti-tank missiles, to Soviet-era artillery components and the latest M142 high-mobility artillery rocket system, to millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, night-vision goggles, armor and other vital hardware. up to. vehicle.
While the West is desperate to get the equipment to Ukraine, overcoming political debates and logistical hurdles, getting it to the front lines poses other challenges.
many moving parts
U.S. airmen load a pallet of ammunition onto a C-17 destined for Ukraine at a base in Delaware in August.
United States Air Force/Airman First Class Sydney Lee
Even the most modern weapons cannot benefit the Ukrainians if they do not arrive in the relevant units at the right time.
Like any large military force, especially one that expanded very quickly during the conflict, the Ukrainian military faces problems moving weapons and equipment between front lines and units.
“The main thing we hear on the front lines is that the Ukrainian army, like a large army in a big war, has internal distribution problems. It has to do with their own logistics,” said the CNA Russian Studies Program, a research institute. March episode Of the Geopolitical Decant podcast, recorded shortly after Coffman returned from a trip to Ukraine.
“Things go into Ukraine, but all Ukrainian forces have to find a way to get them, and that presents many challenges,” Coffman added. Anyone who is aware of the problem of what is best military operations with US logistics, one unit has and another does not.
U.S. Air Force Rear Admiral Stephen Edwards, commander of Special Operations Command Europe, said at events in September that “providing equipment and resources to our partners has proven to be very difficult.” Alluded to the logistical difficulties of the species.
Ukrainian soldiers load ammunition into 2s9 artillery vehicles in Donetsk province in April.
Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The restricted operating environment makes logistics in Ukraine even more difficult. US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq enjoyed complete air superiority, allowing planes and helicopters to resupply ground forces at will.
While Ukraine does not have that capability, its forces also prevent Russian forces from dominating the air, allowing Ukrainian forces to transport goods on the ground without the threat of attack from Russian aircraft. can be
Most of Ukraine’s logistics problems stem from the confusion and difficulty of providing frontline forces with what they need when they need it. Coffman said he had heard complaints about access to material sent to Ukraine, although he had not heard any complaints about the amount of material supplied.
It’s not that America doesn’t give enough. It’s more about ‘how do you get access to what you think you’ve been given,'” Coffman said on the podcast. , we don’t have enough equipment for them, so they’re all trying to equip themselves as best they can.”
Putting the right equipment in the right place is “a process with many moving parts,” an Army Green Beret of the National Guard told Insider.
“Logisticians need to make sure those on the front lines get what they need. It’s harder than it sounds. It requires constant communication between supply and demand.” The special forces operator spoke on condition of anonymity. t is allowed to speak to the media.
Ukrainian soldiers load ammunition into a BMP in Donetsk Oblast in April.
Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Further complicating the situation is the fact that the Ukrainian military is a dynamic force. In the years since the Russian offensive in 2014, it has pursued many reforms and other changes, and has continued to grow since last year’s Russian offensive, deploying new troops and new equipment to strengthen its defenses against aggression. have been integrated.
In July 2022, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said: tYear The Times of London reported that 130,000 people had joined the Territorial Defense Forces by the 10th day of the war. I have,” Reznikov said.
Equipping new units while supporting units already in combat is a tricky balance. We don’t just distribute guns and bullets. Many Ukrainian troops also tour the United States and European countries for training.
Distributing information is also a challenge for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and its Western partners to ensure that the information gets to the forces that can use it in a timely manner.
This information allowed the Ukrainian army to inflict a heavy blow on the Russian army. For example, in April 2022, the Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva was sunk in the Black Sea. Confirmed ship position.
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a Defense Journalist specializing in Special Operations, a Greek Army Veteran (575th Marine Battalion and National Service in Army Headquarters), and a graduate of Johns Hopkins University. He is working towards a master’s degree in strategy and cybersecurity from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.