Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, much has been written about the extensive training of Ukraine’s military by the country’s Western partners. But the West also has much to learn from Ukraine’s unique military experience. In particular, the successes of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces offer a number of valuable lessons for their Western counterparts, who will shape military doctrine for years to come.
The effectiveness of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces is largely due to their exceptional ability to adapt to rapidly changing combat conditions. When Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian SOF units quickly adapted to the immediate challenges of a high-intensity conflict with a much larger and better-armed enemy.
This adaptability has been demonstrated in several important ways. Most notable has been the rapid adaptation of small unit tactics to counter Russian mechanized forces, as well as the development of innovative solutions to overcome numerical disadvantage. Ukrainian SOF units have consistently demonstrated their ability to adopt new technologies and tactics based on feedback from the battlefield. Perhaps most importantly, they have implemented flexible command structures that allow for decentralized decision-making, enabling them to respond quickly to emerging threats and opportunities.
Ukraine’s ability to adapt was once again demonstrated through innovative use of civilian infrastructure and technology. Ukrainian SOF units effectively incorporated commercial drones, civilian communications networks, and other non-military technologies, demonstrating remarkable creativity in overcoming resource constraints.
One of the most important lessons of the conflict was the effective integration of SOF units with conventional forces engaged in large-scale combat operations. Ukrainian SOF units also played an important role in preparing the battlefield before and during the initial phases of the invasion. They established resistance networks, collected intelligence, and identified key targets that later proved critical to conventional forces.
Ukraine’s achievements since 2022 are largely due to years of solid preparation. Following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces underwent a significant transformation with the assistance of NATO countries, particularly the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Between 2015 and 2021, Ukraine also implemented major structural reforms to meet NATO standards, including the establishment of specialized SOF training centers.
These steps helped lay the foundations for a sophisticated network of resistance capabilities along potential invasion routes by early 2022. Ukrainian SOF units mapped key infrastructure, identified potential targets, and established relationships with local civilian networks, while developing protocols for the rapid exchange of information between SOF units, conventional forces, and civilian resistance elements. This preparation proved vital, allowing Ukrainian forces to target Russian supply lines, command nodes, and communications systems using real-time intelligence.
Throughout the invasion, coordination between Ukrainian SOF units and conventional forces ensured effective combined arms operations. SOF units often acted as forward observers, providing targeting data to artillery units and conducting battle damage assessments. The ability to quickly share intelligence was especially important in urban environments, where the complexity of the battlefield requires close cooperation between different military elements.
The Russian invasion has reinforced the importance of unconventional warfare in modern conflicts. Ukrainian SOF units have successfully employed a variety of unconventional warfare techniques that have had strategic implications far beyond their tactical application.
Ukraine's use of guerrilla tactics and sabotage in conjunction with the guerrillas has proven highly effective, with numerous successful operations carried out behind enemy lines. This has included disrupting Russian supply lines, targeting key military infrastructure and command centers, and carrying out pinpoint strikes on high-value targets.
The psychological aspect of the war proved equally important, as Ukrainian SOF units contributed significantly to information warfare campaigns that influenced both domestic and international audiences. They conducted disinformation operations that complicated Russian planning and operations, and conducted morale-building operations targeting both enemy forces and the occupied population.
Successful integration of modern technologies has become a key characteristic of Ukrainian SOF operations. Despite facing a much richer and numerically superior enemy, Ukrainian SOF units have utilized a variety of technological capabilities to maintain operational effectiveness. They have used commercial technologies for reconnaissance and surveillance, integrated drone operations into tactical planning and execution, and utilized artificial intelligence and big data analytics for targeting and planning.
Ukraine’s SOF operations offer several important lessons for the country’s Western partners. From a doctrine development perspective, it is clear that military organizations must emphasize flexibility and adaptability in force structure and training, while more deeply integrating SOF capabilities in support of conventional forces.
The importance of technological integration and adaptation cannot be overstated. Future military forces must be prepared to operate in an environment where commercial technologies play an increasingly important role, and where the ability to use these technologies can provide decisive advantages. In terms of equipment, Western planners should focus on jamming and intercepting communications, improving surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and integrating AI tools to aid in intelligence gathering and analysis.
The role of Ukrainian SOF operations in the current war provides valuable lessons for militaries around the world. Their impact demonstrates the critical importance of adaptability and the effective use of technology in modern warfare. These lessons are especially relevant as military organizations prepare for future high-intensity conflicts in increasingly complex operational environments.
Doug Livermore is the National Vice President of the Special Operations Association of America and the Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Detachment – Joint Special Operations Command, North Carolina Army National Guard. The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent the official position of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Army.
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