Ukraine’s ‘Experiment in War’ Is Now the Blueprint for Global Conflict – Were We Listening? – SOFREP News Team

Editor’s Note (A 2024 Retrospective): When this piece was published in January 2017, Ukraine was already becoming a crucible for modern warfare as Russian-backed separatists engaged in both kinetic and cyber conflict. The article’s emphasis on Ukraine as a testing ground for the next generation of warfare proved prescient in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

What was once speculation about the merging of cyberwarfare with large-scale military operations has become a stark reality on the battlefield in Kyiv and across Ukraine. The 2022 Russian invasion underscored the interconnectedness of cyber and physical domains, with Russian forces conducting cyberattacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in tandem with missile strikes and ground incursions. As predicted, internet blackouts, GPS (Global Positioning System) jamming, and disinformation campaigns became common preludes to major offensives, demonstrating that digital disruption is as critical to modern operations as artillery fire.

Author Norwood’s foresight regarding the importance of integrating new tactics alongside technology has proven invaluable. Ukrainian forces, with substantial Western support, have innovated rapidly, marrying manpower, cyber capabilities, and advanced technology to resist and even counter Russian aggression. From employing small-unit drone warfare to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven targeting systems, Ukraine has exemplified the hybrid nature of contemporary battlefields.

Moreover, the suggestion that cyber expertise could become a full-time MOS for military forces aligns with the realities faced by both Ukrainian defenders and NATO allies today.

Cyber defense is no longer a support role—it is a frontline capability.

The West’s ability to observe and learn from Ukraine’s adaptation to Netwar and cyberwar has proven critical to future preparedness, solidifying Norwood’s argument that Ukraine is “an opportunity waiting to be explored.”

What was seen in 2017 as a potential birthplace for the next kind of war has, barely a decade later, now become the epicenter of a conflict that is reshaping the very principles of warfare.

Check out Norwood’s piece below.