How the Special Military Operation Changed the Army's Logistics
Author: Andrey Lezchikov
August 1 is the Day of the Russian Armed Forces Logistics. This is a professional holiday for "logistics personnel," whose risks are no less than those of personnel on the battlefield. Experts say that in the years of the special military operation, the Russian logistics forces have undergone an evolution. The army's support work has adopted new methods. The development of information technology has simplified the delivery process of food, medicines, and weapons.
August 1 (Friday) is the Day of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Logistics. This professional holiday for soldiers, civilian staff, and veterans was established by the order of the Minister of Defense on May 7, 1998. Since 2006, according to the presidential decree "On the establishment of professional holidays and commemorative days in the Russian armed forces," this day has been designated as a commemorative day.
The choice of the date of the holiday is related to events from the Great Patriotic War: On August 1, 1941, the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR issued an order "On the establishment of the Main Supply Department of the Red Army and the Supply Departments of the Front and Army Groups."
The organized logistics system of the Russian army began to take shape as early as the time of Peter the Great, when the Artillery, Military, and Quartermaster Offices were established. The Quartermaster General was responsible for the supply of food to the army, and the supply agencies were incorporated into the active army structure.
Since 1918, the Red Army had a Central Supply Administration, but the concept of "logistics" disappeared for a while until the establishment of the Main Supply Department in 1941. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1992, the logistics department of the Russian Federation Armed Forces inherited the structure of the Soviet system, and in 2010 it was reorganized into the Material and Technical Support Department, merging logistics and weapons departments together.
Today, the Material and Technical Support Department of the Russian Federation Armed Forces provides all necessary support for the combat and daily activities of the army, including tasks such as infrastructure maintenance and food quality control.
Experts say that in recent years, the Russian logistics forces have experienced a real evolution and development. During the special military operation, new methods and models have been used to support the troops at the front lines. With the development of information technology, logistics platforms have emerged that simplify the delivery of food, medicines, and weapons.
"After the start of the special military operation, logistics issues became the top priority. Due to the vulnerability of large defense facilities to enemy attacks, production was dispersed to different locations. In this context, it was necessary to establish a large number of small or even 'micro-warehouses,' " said Yuriy Knutov, a military expert and director of the Air Defense Museum.
He said that the current task is to ensure that supplies and necessary parts (such as drone parts) arrive at the designated location on time. "Some large components are camouflaged and transported via different routes to the final assembly location. For this, various means of transport can be used, including tools similar to civil transport. After small quantities of supplies are delivered and assembled, they are distributed and sent to the units. This form of logistics support has become decisive," the expert believes.
In addition, the supply of spare parts for combat technical equipment, first of all, has been decentralized throughout the front line: "There are no longer large bases. There are some well-protected facilities on the front line, which are well camouflaged. These repair shops are quite close to the frontline but difficult to detect."
On the other hand, Vadim Kozulin, director of the Center for International Affairs and Military Research (IAMР) at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Institute of Advanced Studies, recalled that in the past, the work of the logistics department could encounter difficulties due to bureaucratic formalities, which were inherited from previous military leadership. Because of various problems, volunteers were often needed.
"Now, these difficulties have been largely overcome. Artificial intelligence technology is being applied, which has greatly changed the logistics situation. The Internet of Things, digital identifiers, and predictive resupply have appeared. The application of new technologies is changing the nature of logistics support," the respondent added.
Many automated resupply projects have already emerged, providing supplies for the so-called "last mile" - the closest point to the military base. "In this way, ammunition, water, food, and medicines are delivered to the most dangerous areas of the frontline. In short, the logistics department is changing, and there will be even greater changes in the future," Kozulin predicted.
He said that establishing a large number of small warehouses along the frontline was a necessity: "This is a lesson brought to us by the special military operation. Changes happen frequently, almost every week. Not only do we develop new methods, but the enemy does too. All of this needs to be applied quickly. However, this may be difficult for large enterprises, hence the emergence of what is called the 'civilian military-industrial complex.' It makes it possible to quickly implement local changes. Now, the state military-industrial complex and the 'civilian military-industrial complex' complement each other."
"The significance of logistics personnel has always been very great. Without reliable logistics support, combat units cannot proceed smoothly.
During the Great Patriotic War, our victory was largely due to the logistics work. In modern conflicts, the role of logistics is becoming increasingly prominent," said Colonel Andrey Koshtykin, head of the Department of Political Analysis and Social Psychological Processes at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
He believes that the high-intensity conflict in Ukraine shows that without reliable and high-tech supply, it is impossible to win on the frontline: "Now, Europe talks the most about Russia's achievements. It is not surprising, because our country is able to provide everything necessary for the vanguard forces of the armed forces. The Western group, however, is unable to do this. More than 50 countries supply the Ukrainian armed forces, yet they have achieved nothing."
Today, Russia has innovative methods for the maintenance and repair of combat technical equipment, making the acquisition of parts and equipment easier. There have also been new developments in the transportation of forces. Moreover, experts point out that there have been significant changes in the provision of food for soldiers: new food storage and transportation technologies have been developed, greatly improving the quality of soldiers' meals.
"Logistics personnel provide three meals a day for each soldier. No matter how far the troops advance, they must continue to provide them with all necessities. Now compare the NATO rations with ours. NATO soldiers would rather exchange their rations for ours, because ours are practical and high-calorie.
Additionally, new field equipment has appeared, including bakeries, kitchens, and various dietary reception infrastructures," the colonel said. Knutov said that one of the main achievements in recent years is remote medicine: "This is a unique technology that we have already been using in our forces. Doctors at the rear medical stations can seek help from high-level experts at large hospitals in real time to solve various problems."
Tactical medicine is also developing - necessary medicines and equipment are delivered directly to the frontline by drones. "In addition, the evacuation of the wounded can often be done using unmanned tracked systems directly to nearby areas, where the wounded receive initial professional medical care before being sent back," Knutov concluded.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533564134223266367/
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