Ukraine has relied on Western combat tactics and equipment in recent years, primarily from NATO and the US. But a recent New York Times report suggested that these methods are not as effective as hoped. Experts told Newsweek that Ukraine’s lack of air superiority was a key reason for these challenges.

Control of the airspace is essential for the Ukrainian armed forces, which want to align themselves with Western and NATO standards. Retired British Army Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon stressed to Newsweek the importance of air superiority for the effective implementation of Western military tactics. Without fighter jets to compete with Russia’s air supremacy, the Ukrainian armed forces are at a severe disadvantage.

Other conditions in Ukraine

Another problem is that in recent years the NATO combat style has been tested primarily in scenarios in which the alliance already had air superiority. Davis Ellison, an analyst with the Hague Center for Security Studies, noted that the current situation in Ukraine is unprecedented for NATO forces. The rapid training of Ukraine’s armed forces to NATO standards has distanced them from their Soviet roots, which could cause them problems when confronted with Russian tactics, Nick Reynolds of the Royal United Services Institute told Newsweek.

In addition, according to Reynolds, there is a serious lack of experienced staff. Michael Kofman, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the Times that it may have been a mistake to expect Ukrainian units to be able to adopt Western combat tactics after only a short training. The main problem could lie in the assumption that with a few months of training, the Ukrainians could effectively fight a well-prepared Russian defense.