Special forces carry out the most difficult and demanding missions in the war. For Russia, Ukrainian activity far behind the front lines is a constant scourge.
– It is difficult for Russia when they constantly get things knocked out. From bases to bridges. It affects their larger movements. They can never be really sure, but things are constantly happening behind their backs, says the Swedish major Roger Djupsjö.
Roger Djupsjö was on behalf of the Armed Forces for a year in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine where he trained Ukrainian forces. He left the country just days before the Russian invasion, but is still in touch with many of the military men he got to know in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s advantage
In the attempts at advances that are being made now, the special forces play an important role. Their mission is often to scout and guide artillery and robotic attacks.
– In general, you try not to attack yourself, because then you clear yourself. You would rather use long-range systems or otherwise knock out the target you have discovered, says Roger Djupsjö and continues:
– The advantage for Ukraine when you work behind enemy lines is that there is a lot of population left there that you can cooperate with. Otherwise, the great danger of discovery is that the population discovers special forces and reports them. It is almost a greater danger than being discovered by military units.
Within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there are special units both within the security service and within the army. Among the units that operate in secret, group Alpha within the security service is considered to be the very best trained.
More difficult to advance
Russia also makes extensive use of special forces, and Ukraine’s National Guard devotes considerable resources to finding and combating them. At least seven Russian generals have been killed in the war. Russia claims that the number is lower and Ukraine that it is higher. In several of the cases, special forces must have been involved.
As the battles have now become less mobile with strong fixed defensive positions and large mined areas, it has become more difficult for both sides to advance. This makes the work of special forces more complicated but also increasingly important.
– What you win in the long run is being able to inflict great losses on the enemy by attacking the larger ammunition stores, picking off the senior managers and attacking the logistics. Bridges and other things that are important to the Russians. To remove them. If not completely, at least for a limited time, says Major Roger Djupsjö.