Commonalities In Russian Military Operations In Urban Environments

By: Major Dale R. Smith

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Synopsis: Despite the drastic evolution of warfare since the close of World War II fighting in urban environments has remained a constant. Despite the advances in modern warfare the tactics, techniques and procedures developed for urban combat operations remain largely unchanged. As the sole remaining superpower, The United States will likely find itself increasingly drawn into urban operations to perform stability and peacekeeping operations. In doing so it advantage in technology will be significantly reduced. By conducting a study of the Russian operations in Chechnya and comparing it to operations in Stalingrad some enduring traits began to emerge. These traits are significant for the unit wanting to understand how urban operations manifest unforeseen problems. More importantly, as many third world countries have been trained or have studied under Russian doctrine they may exhibit similar methodologies. The analysis contains more than a historical and tactical account of the actions. It attempts to identify the underlying themes that drive the history.