The current fighting style on the battlefield between Russia and Ukraine is a bit similar to the World War I we see in history textbooks?
The World War II style of wide opening and closing, fast maneuvering, doesn't seem to be very glamorous here.
Let's talk about the reason behind this today.
Modern warfare, especially local conflicts like Russia and Ukraine, has no comparison in terms of the scale of troops and equipment compared with World War II.
If you think about it, the Soviet-German battlefield at that time was called a magnificent wave.
What now? Being able to win three villages in one day is big news.
Behind this, in fact, is the increase in defense and firepower density.
In modern warfare, the density of mines and obstacles is higher than during World War II. Moreover, the accuracy of modern firepower, that's not covered. If you dare to concentrate your forces, people will dare to let you walk around without food.
The tank, with a "turtle shell" on its back, looks quite funny, but behind this is actually helplessness.
Drones are flying all over the sky, and if you are not careful, your tank will become a live target.
This is the harsh reality on the battlefield. Moreover, mines are now not only available on the front line, but also in the rear. For armored forces, this is simply a nightmare.
Mariupol, that's a tough nut.
The Russian army besieged it for two months, which is quite long in a modern war.
The stubborn resistance of the Ukrainian army has made the Russian army pay a huge price for every step forward. Another example is Bakhmut, where the fighting is also protracted, and the losses on both sides are not small. These battles are all wars of attrition, but they are different.
Tactical adjustments of the Russian army.
At the beginning, the full-scale offensive of the Russian army did not go well, probably because they underestimated the resistance of the Ukrainian army and the strength of NATO support.
But later, the Russian army obviously learned wisely and began to concentrate its forces and focus on attacking strategic points.
This was especially evident in the Battle of Avdeyevka. The Russian army took advantage of the advantages of the regular forces and quickly ended the battle, showing their tactical maturity and adjustment.
Speaking of tactics, let's talk about drones.
This thing is simply ubiquitous on the battlefield between Russia and Ukraine. It can be used not only for reconnaissance, but also for direct ground attacks.
This forced tank units to make some sacrifices, such as carrying a "turtle shell" on their backs, sacrificing mobility and observation in exchange for a probability of survival.
Russia is not alone, Israeli tanks have taken similar steps on some battlefields.
Let's talk about the future.
Will this kind of encroaching offensive become the norm on the battlefield in the future? Quite possibly.
Because the density of firepower in modern warfare is far from reaching the ceiling.
Moreover, with the advancement of technology, tactical tactics also need to change and progress accordingly. The same set of World War II is no longer applicable.
Future wars are likely to focus more on precision strikes and special operations.