Russian and Ukrainian militaries are facing a shortage of junior officers who can lead big forces into battle. This has been a long-term issue for Russia, and it’s now impacting Ukraine’s military as it grows. Both militaries are likely to struggle with training additional officers during ongoing combat operations.
The difference between an effective army and just a well-equipped mob often comes down to the presence of capable junior officers. This applies to staff work as well, which is essential for properly planning, coordinating, and providing supplies for military operations.
Russia and Ukraine are both grappling with this challenge. They are fielding newly formed armies with large numbers of inexperienced soldiers who require skilled and experienced officers to be effective.
“Both Russia and Ukraine have had difficulties generating offensive combat power in 2023,” wrote Jack Watling, a defense expert at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute think tank. “The heavy losses of experienced junior officers and trained field-grade staff have limited their ability to synchronize offensive action.”
Ukraine’s military has been struggling to absorb a continuous stream of inexperienced replacements while training its forces on new Western equipment and tactics. This is in addition to mounting a counteroffensive against strong Russian defenses.
A key issue for Ukraine is that its headquarters units in the field can only control a small fraction of the troops under command. In many armies, a brigade headquarters is responsible for coordinating a large number of combat companies and support units, while Russian forces have transitioned to defense on much of the front in Ukraine.
Both countries are trapped in a cycle where a lack of officers results in ineffective command and control, leading to more casualties and inexperience among officers and soldiers. The result is a conflict fought by two armies incapable of waging more than static trench warfare.
Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, among other publications. He holds a master’s in political science. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
