This is some recommendation for nations who don’t desire Russian troops as uninvited friends: Guard your airport.
That is the advice from two American protection specialists who level to a sample in Russian operations over the past 50 years: when the Kremlin desires to occupy one other nation, it goes for the airport.
Russia’s failed try and seize Kyiv’s Hostomel airport initially of the 2022 Ukraine invasion was a part of a “well-established playbook,” Kevin Stringer and Heather Gregg wrote in an essay for West Level’s Fashionable Struggle Institute. Moscow despatched commandos and paratroopers to grab airports in Prague in 1968, Kabul in 1979 and Sevastopol in 2014, to facilitate an advance by floor troops invading throughout the border.
“An appreciation of this playbook is vital for states who may discover themselves within the crosshairs of future Russian aggression,” the essay warned. The technique can work with blistering pace as elite assault troops seize the airport to create an aerial beachhead. Air transports can then fly in reinforcements to increase the airhead, whereas ready to hyperlink up with armored columns pouring throughout the border.
Russian operations comply with a typical sequence, in line with the essay. “Positioning standard forces on the borders of the focused nation to amplify political strain and set up for invasion; infiltrating particular operations (Spetsnaz) models to arrange and spearhead the incursion; seizing a strategic airport via airborne models; and airlanding extra assault troops to safe the battlespace and decapitate the nationwide authorities together with the already inserted particular operations models.”
The airport invasion drive usually contains a “particular forces detachment to realize shock, adopted with a battalion-sized aspect to pave the best way for at the least a brigade to comply with on,” Stringer, a retired US Military colonel, instructed Enterprise Insider. A Russian brigade usually numbers about 4,000 paratroops.
The technique does not at all times work. The 2022 Kyiv air assault was a fiasco: air strikes didn’t suppress Ukrainian air defenses that shot down quite a few helicopters, shut air assist for the airhead was missing, and Ukrainian forces shortly counterattacked the 300 beleaguered paratroopers.
Nonetheless, different Russian airport takedowns have been largely profitable. The Prague assault helped Warsaw Pact forces to occupy Czechoslovakia with minimal preventing and casualties. The Kabul assault, which aimed to topple Afghan president Hafizullah Amin, was bloodier: Tons of of Afghans, in addition to KGB and Spetznaz commandos, died throughout an assault on the presidential palace that ended with Russian troops killing Amin. At Sevastopol, Spetznaz models (the infamous “little inexperienced males” in unmarked uniforms) seized two airfields in a principally cold operation.
Provided that seizing airports has labored for Russia up to now, it is cheap to imagine the Kremlin will use comparable strategies in opposition to different potential targets, such because the Baltic States, Moldova or Georgia. However that is simpler mentioned than accomplished for small nations with small militaries. “Russia could have its palms full in Ukraine proper now, however adequately making ready for Russia’s invasion playbook takes time,” the essay mentioned. “This, mixed with Russia’s sample of invading a rustic and deposing its management, makes it essential for susceptible international locations to take measures to counter the risk. For international locations like Moldova and Georgia, this preparation is not any small feat, provided that each have Russian troops already of their nation, are comparatively small, and are confronted with a spread of useful resource constraints.”
The authors counsel a number of options that are not ruinously costly. The primary is to deploy particular army models to defend key airports. “The Ukrainians left components of the 4th Speedy Response Brigade of the Nationwide Guard on the Antonov Airport, regardless of the overwhelming want for Ukrainian troops to confront the Russian invasion at its borders,” the essay famous. “This unit of round 300 troops succeeded in irritating the Russian forces’ seizure of the airport and rendered the airstrip unusable, foiling subsequent Russian efforts to land forces and seize the capital.”
Stringer factors to a particular airport protection regiment that Switzerland stationed at Zurich Airport through the Chilly Struggle, as a great mannequin. “It was a brigade-sized aspect of roughly 3,000 personnel, primarily native reservists on standby. It consisted of 4 operational battalions armed with machine weapons, 81-mm and 60-mm mortars, armored personnel carriers with 20-mm cannon, and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Airport autos could possibly be used to dam the runway. I feel this mannequin can be each pragmatic and reasonably priced for a small state right now.”
Despite the fact that Russia could dwarf a small state in army energy, that does not assure a profitable airport seizure. Flippantly armed airborne troops have traditionally been susceptible to anti-aircraft defenses as they fly in and counterattacks by the defender earlier than they’ll set up a floor place. “If the protection is ready, the Russians are susceptible,” Stringer mentioned. “This vulnerability will increase if they don’t have air superiority over the airfield.”
If Russian troops do handle to seize an airport, the defender’s best choice is “instant counterattack to dislodge the assaulting drive and block the runway with a purpose to forestall reinforcement and enlargement of the airhead,” Stringer mentioned.
The US and Europe may help susceptible nations in defending their airports. “The US army has a number of models devoted to seizing or securing airstrips, notably inside the Military’s seventy fifth Ranger Regiment and Air Power particular operations forces,” the essay mentioned. “These models may present invaluable coaching on tips on how to plan for and disrupt a Russian assault on essential airports. Related capabilities exist inside European particular operations and standard forces, together with international locations with whole protection plans, equivalent to Finland and Sweden.”
As well as, the US and Europe can also have the ability to present intelligence warnings of Russian plans to seize airports. For instance, earlier than Russia’s February 2022 invasion, the CIA reportedly warned Ukraine of plans to seize Hostomel Airport.
“Finally, at-risk states and the international locations that advise and assist them ought to intention to extend the prices for Russia to execute its invasion playbook,” the essay concluded. “Understanding and delineating the sequence of occasions Russia has traditionally used to provoke a coup and devising countermeasures to thwart these actions could show essential in defending in opposition to the following Russian invasion.”
Michael Peck is a protection author whose work has appeared in Forbes, Protection Information, Overseas Coverage journal, and different publications. He holds a grasp’s in political science. Observe him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
