1/ As the Battle of #Kyiv approaches, it may be worth remembering seven principles of #urbanwarfare in the 21st century that we've discussed together. @SpencerGuard @shashj @Stu_Lyle @JaysonGeroux @ChasAHKnight @RitaKonaev
1. As military forces contract, they will converge on and in cities. The decisive battles are likely to take place in urban areas.
2. The urban battle will concentrate into localised inner-urban micro-sieges around fortified positions. Defensive walls will be crucial, marking out the battlelines.
3. The airspace above the city will be an integral part of the fight. An aerial architecture will be as important as the physical topography.
4. Massive, sometimes accurate, firepower will be employed. Air and artillery will strike deep, close and direct targets.
5. Manoeuvre will be replaced by a war of position. Attrition will predominate. Bite and hold operations will become the norm.
6. Because of the lack of forces, the combatants will draw on partnered, proxy, foreign fighters to increase their mass. The fight will be politically complex.
7. Information operations will recruit and address diasporas, supporters, audiences and agents across the global urban archipelago. The battle of Kyiv will resonate across European cities.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.