After two months of fighting, Russian forces have failed to achieve any of their objectives.
Moscow has reduced its ambitions. It appears to be renewing its offensive, but its performance has already affected assessments of its military prowess, calling into question its status as a force.
The famed Spetsnaz is among the Russian units affected. Special operators achieved legendary status in the West after the Cold War. Recent successes in Syria seemed to add to their credentials.
The reputation of the Russian military is being damaged in Ukraine.
The city of Irpin was a base for Russian special-operations forces until they were ousted by the Ukrainians. The fight for the port city of Mariupol appears to have taken a toll on Russia's special operators.
The Spetsnaz was established in the 1950s to conduct strategic missions.
Every special-operations unit in the Russian military, law enforcement, and emergency and security services is now called Spetsnaz.
Military Spetsnaz units are light infantry airborne force that can act as shock troops. The security of nuclear installations and counterterrorism are some of the missions of the Alpha and Vympel Groups.
There has been limited reporting on what Russian special-operations units have done in Ukraine or how they have performed, but their missions there may include special reconnaissance, direct-action operations, and unconventional warfare.
Russia's military has used its long-range weapons against the Ukrainians. More than 1,500 missiles have been launched by Russia at Ukrainian targets.
Russian special operators could use specialized equipment to help guide the munition. If the Kremlin wants to take out the Ukrainian leadership with a strategic strike, the skill set could still be used.
Russian special-operations forces may be conducting raids and ambushes in pursuit of tactical-level goals, such as capturing a city block.
It would be foolish to use special operators for conventional operations, as their potential casualties would waste time and money, and the lack of progress may prompt Russian commanders to do so, especially in urban settings.
Russia may use its special-operations forces for unconventional warfare. Russian forces have been supporting the rebels in eastern Ukraine for a long time.
Russian special operators can also target Ukrainian strategic targets. There have been reports of Russian naval vessels attacking a Ukrainian ship.
The Russian military has had a lot of time to learn from the US.
The US has had special operators at the tip of the spear for the past 20 years. Their ability to conduct high-reward missions with less military or political risk than larger conventional units has made them a go-to option for American policymakers.
A dedicated special-operations command organization was formed as a result of the reorganization of Russia's military. The Russian Special Operations Forces Command is tasked with the hardest, most important missions.
The Russians are not stupid. They would have seen how successful we have been using SOF downrange during the GWOT. A retired Delta Force operator told Insider that they would do that.
The retired operator said that open-sourced information showed how our operations have influenced their equipment and training.
Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between an American and Russian operator because they both wear high-cut helmets and carry similar assault loadouts. The former operator said that it was only from the weapons that you could tell the difference.
The creation of the US's Joint Special Operations Command is a model for Moscow's new command.
The US military's special missions units are the most elite special-operations organizations that comprise the US national mission strike force.
Moscow wanted to bring together its top special-operations units to facilitate better command and control. The Spetsnaz units from the GRU were transferred to the new organization, though they were demoted to the GRU.
People in SOF are cut from the same cloth. The training, mission sets, and funding might be different, but the people at the highest levels tend to be very similar.
A defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran, and a graduate of the University of Baltimore, are some of the things that Stavros Atlamazoglou is.
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