Bridging a river under enemy fire is one of the toughest tasks any land force can face. Russia is offering the world lessons in how not to do it
Early in the war, Russian forces deployed pontoons to cross the Irpin River near Kyiv, seeking to seize the village of Moshchun and attack the capital. Ukrainian artillery destroyed several of the bridges, some with Russian vehicles on them.
Western military observers said Russia’s string of failed crossings—also including one over the Ingulets River—indicate problems higher in its chain of command than the battlefield level and probably indicate that senior leadership is pushing for gains that troops are unprepared to achieve.What has most surprised you about Vladimir Putin’s invasion strategy in Ukraine? Join the conversation below.
“Commanders only use them when they expect a big payoff,” said retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan. “They are normally done where an army expects to use that route as an important axis of advance.” River-crossing operations consist of at least six steps starting with reconnaissance and site selection that can begin days before a bridging.
“If you’re smoking a spot and you’ve only got one site, you’re not hiding anything,” said Gen. DeLuca. “Commanders need a clear plan for what happens after the crossing,” said Gen. Ryan. “It isn’t about sitting around drinking tea thinking, ‘Good job on that crossing’.”Similarly, troops waiting to cross should be hidden a distance away in dispersed holding areas and gradually advance to preset staging points before racing across the bridge. All along, military police and engineers must direct the flow and be ready for the unexpected, like accidents or vehicles getting stuck on a bridge.