A wired war

Russia is waging a predominantly unwired war in the age of modern warfare. The centre of gravity of the Russian invasion against Ukraine pivots around swift territorial takeover and control. If this objective is not realised, it may result into intensification of Russian military actions coupled with further extreme measures. Up till now Russians have used a set of primary orthodox attacks with tanks rolling onto Ukrainian roads with ample aerial cover. The cyber-attacks on the communication systems of Ukraine were neither initiated adequately nor remained successful on account of sufficient counter cyber measures. The Russian takeover is also exposed by the modern communication means and social media platforms. For example, the intelligence on Russian charge was shared through the satellite pictures to convince the world about the genuineness of their assessment and nature of Russian military incursion. They also estimated about the timing and type of Russian blitz. The majority of media channels have been cementing anti-Russian sentiments and drumming up a mass conscription campaign to attract civilians of age group between 18 and 60 to take up arms against the Russian military to impede its progress.

The Ukraine and its allies are responding to the Russian attacks with latest means and through a mechanism which makes it a wired affair. The google maps started indicating the movement of Russian tanks by showing congestion on the main tributaries for traffic flow. The videos of captured Russian soldiers were aired through social media platforms to show their public humiliation and discomfiture across the globe. Many Ukrainians have also revealed charred pieces of tanks and military vehicles. Moreover, the footages of Russian helicopters, reportedly shot down during the attack, were also shared on internet. The Ukrainian president has been sharing his videos with different backgrounds to ensure that he is still in the capital city and has not fled or left his country. He also appealed for mass conscription and offered weapons distribution among the civilians to defend their homeland. Meanwhile, international media is airing videos and pictures of the civilian areas attacked by the Russian missiles, thus exposing the Russian brutality and insensitivity to target civilian population. The US and its allies have announced providing arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian government for a mass resistance to the invasion. This points towards raising a popular civilian force against Russia to hold on to important areas to prolong the war and inflict large-scale small sophisticated counter-attacks. Elon Musk has made available the satellite broadband service in Ukraine, and SpaceX is sending more terminals to the country to overcome internet glitches. The sanctions on Russia, individual or collective, may only work when it starts hurting the public and produces an internal reaction against their leadership.

The Russian leadership has misunderstood wired war requirements. They acted correctly through recognising independence of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. They should have further developed on it through supporting a political resistance movement inside the country which may finally culminate in dislodging the Ukrainian government. Furthermore, Russia may have exposed the Ukrainian government through cyber-attacks on its critical infrastructure. They should have utilised all ends and means to reach out to the Ukrainian public to convince them about their side of the story. It is not about control of the Ukrainian territory but aligning the public opinion in its favour to seal the success. There is strong possibility of popular uprising if Russia occupies Ukraine but fails to pacify its public. In fact, international hackers are attacking the Russian systems public reach-out and attention. The regional repercussions may also cause discomfort to China owing to security instability and economic unpredictability. The wired war may alter further the nature and scope of modern warfare.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2022.

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