INFORMAL INTEGRATION ⟩ Ukrainian Brigades Forge Their Own NATO

Photo: Martin Pedaja

Jaanus PiirsaluWar Correspondent at Postimees

22nd November 2024, 16:47

Some Ukrainian brigades aren't waiting for an invitation to join NATO—they are already operating as if they were part of the alliance. We were given the opportunity to witness one of Ukraine's most forward-thinking brigades as they prepared for their offensive operations.

Staff officers of the 13th Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard, also known as the Hartia Brigade, proudly highlight in their recruitment campaigns—prominently displayed across free Ukraine—that new recruits can expect NATO-level standards and precision in planning.

“All our operations begin here,” said the chief of the planning department of the Hartia Brigade, welcoming us to the brigade’s classified headquarters. He asked to be called Anton.

Behind him, the Hartia Brigade command center was filled with more screens and computers than personnel. Most of the command officers spoke English, and when communicating in Ukrainian, they frequently used NATO-style abbreviations and terms. If a NATO officer were to attend one of their planning meetings, they would have no trouble following along.

Every meter of liberated Ukrainian territory comes at an immense cost in the current conditions of war. In mid-October, soldiers of the Hartia Brigade participated alongside several special forces units in a counteroffensive against Russian positions north of Kharkiv, near the village of Liptsy. During this operation, Hartia’s unit successfully expelled Russian troops from a wooded area.

In the vicinity of Liptsy village in the Kharkiv region, the artillery battery of the 13th Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard, known as the Hartia Brigade, is firing on enemy positions. Their weapon of choice is the Soviet-era Giatsint towed howitzer, with a formidable 152-mm caliber. Photo: Martin Pedaja

What appeared to be a small operation—involving 28 infantry soldiers and five combat vehicles—was meticulously planned and prepared over six days, explained Anton. Together with another planning officer, he walked us through the intricate process in detail.

This demonstration aimed to dispel any notion that Hartia’s emphasis on precision and care, as highlighted in their promotional materials, was mere rhetoric. It was also a pointed reminder that despite recent negative examples elsewhere, some Ukrainian brigades are led by commanders who spare no effort in safeguarding their soldiers’ lives.

"An assault always comes with countless ways things can go wrong—and they often do," Anton remarked.

Soldiers of the Hartia Brigade in training. Photo: Hartia Brigaadi Pressiteenistus

Everything begins with drone reconnaissance. The aerial video footage is used to create a detailed terrain analysis, presented in both words and visuals. Soldiers and armored vehicle operators must have a precise understanding of the terrain they will encounter during battle. A two-dimensional map of the area is also created.

“There are many people in the army now who have come from civilian life and don’t fully understand military maps. With these 2D maps, we break it down for them as clearly as possible,” Anton explained. To aid comprehension, the maps are even supplemented with plastic models of tanks and armored vehicles—reminiscent of childhood games with toy soldiers.

Artillery battery fighters from the 13th Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, the Hartia Brigade, operating in the Kharkiv region. Photo: Martin Pedaja

It truly resembles a war game played on a map. Hartia officers simulate the enemy’s potential counteractions step by step, alternating between their own forces' moves and the adversary’s responses. It’s more akin to a chess match, where each side's actions are meticulously planned and replayed repeatedly. “These simulations reveal many weaknesses in the plans,” Anton explained.

At Hartia, the brigade commander is always presented with two operational concepts for carrying out a mission. The commander, whose callsign is Kornet, has the authority to reject both options or suggest modifications to one if it is close to satisfactory.

Commander of the Hartia Brigade with callsign "Kornet," inspects an armored vehicle. A successful businessman turned accomplished officer, he exemplifies leadership both on and off the battlefield. Photo: Hartia Brigade

The concept for an assault is crucial for determining the number of soldiers, the type and amount of equipment required, and the overall resources needed to achieve success. Only after the brigade commander approves the concept does the process move on to detailed planning.

For the Liptsy operation, detailed planning took 48 hours and six lengthy brainstorming sessions—only then did Kornet, the brigade commander, give his approval.

At Hartia, the brigade commander and the chief of staff do not participate in the majority of the operation's planning; this responsibility falls to the officers in the planning department. This approach contrasts with many other Ukrainian brigades, where commanders are heavily involved in every step of the process. For this particular operation, Kornet initially wanted to proceed differently than the planners recommended. Ultimately, the planning officers' proposal prevailed.

“It was quite challenging to convince him that our plan was better,” Anton admitted.

Commander of the Hartia Brigade with callsign "Kornet" (pictured on the right). Photo: Hartia Brigaadi Pressiteenistus

Once the detailed plan is approved, preparations begin. For the Liptsy operation, this first involved constructing a terrain model in a designated hall. This process included the leader of the specific assault group and all armored vehicle operators, as they needed to have the most thorough understanding of the plan. "This is one of the key elements of the entire preparation," Anton remarked.

The terrain model is used to establish an exact timeline: who moves where and when, where and how many times the artillery will fire, and the specific criteria for aborting the operation. For instance, the loss of multiple combat vehicles triggers an immediate retreat, whereas the loss of a single vehicle does not necessitate withdrawal.

At a certain stage, all the infantry soldiers involved in the operation join the rehearsal on the terrain model, along with the commanders of the supporting artillery and drone units. Every infantry soldier has the opportunity to voice their opinions and suggestions. Their input is valued for the simple reason that they navigate such terrain daily and possess a practical understanding of its realities.

“They have the right to propose changes to the plan’s details to make it more realistic,” Anton explained. “For instance, they might know that a specific area is already too scorched, too exposed, or otherwise unsuitable, and recommend altering the route.”

The inclusion of soldiers in the planning process serves a broader purpose as well: to show them that the brigade’s command takes operational planning seriously and does so with the utmost responsibility, prioritizing their safety and lives.

An artilleryman from the 13th Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, known as the Hartia Brigade, removes a shell casing after firing from a Soviet-era Giatsint towed howitzer with a 152-mm caliber. Photo: Martin Pedaja

Anton shared an illustrative example. During one operation, their assault group was tasked with advancing into enemy territory. However, the soldiers initially refused to proceed, deeming the mission too dangerous—Russian mortar fire would decimate them as soon as they moved. The next day, the reconnaissance team leader reported that most of the enemy mortars threatening the group had been located. The artillery unit commander then assured the soldiers that the mortars would be neutralized as soon as the assault group began their advance. The drone unit promised to monitor the operation and confirm the results in real-time. Seeing this coordinated support, the assault group agreed to proceed, successfully completing the mission.

"The goal of this entire phase is to ensure that everyone understands exactly what they are doing and with whom. They must grasp the full concept of the assault," Anton emphasized.

The final phase involves repeatedly rehearsing the entire plan on terrain that closely resembles the actual battlefield. This stage is critical, as the group drills every aspect of the attack with the equipment, weapons, and combat vehicles they will use until every detail is perfected. This includes determining the speed at which vehicles move, the spacing between them, the sequence in which soldiers enter and exit vehicles, and even where each individual sits.

For the specific assault Anton described, the combat vehicles were initially required to travel in a column. However, upon reaching an open field in the final stage of the assault, they had to transition into a single line to cross the exposed area. The most challenging part of the drill was mastering this transition from column to line formation. It was practiced repeatedly to understand precisely how long it would take and to ensure flawless execution.

Fighters of the Hartia brigade. Photo: Hartia Brigade

"We knew exactly where the enemy was waiting for us and which areas their artillery had already targeted," Anton explained. "Beyond those positions, they hadn't aimed yet. We knew we had three minutes before they could adjust their sights. That was our window of opportunity, and we practiced to ensure we could use it effectively."

During the drills, commanders identified that one combat vehicle couldn't keep pace with the others due to a weak engine. The vehicle was replaced. Other issues emerged during the rehearsals, as well as new ideas for improvement. "The advantage of thorough drills is that problems surface during practice, not right before the operation," Anton noted. "Everyone went into the assault with a clear understanding of what to do and how to do it."

The result: with an assault group the size of a platoon, eight enemy positions were captured, and one howitzer was destroyed. Hartia’s assault team suffered two casualties. The active combat phase lasted 15 minutes, while clearing the entire wooded area of enemy forces took nearly six hours.

The key to success was the element of surprise. The Russian unit didn’t expect an armored assault from that location. At the same time, other Hartia units launched diversionary attacks on both flanks of the assault zone to mislead the enemy.

The broader impact of the operation was significant. The success of the assault enabled other Ukrainian units positioned on Hartia's flanks to advance as well. In total, approximately four square kilometers of Ukrainian land were liberated from Russian control.

The entire assault was recorded for post-operation analysis using cameras mounted on soldiers' helmets, armored vehicles, and drones. Two days later, the footage was reviewed with all Hartia unit commanders to identify mistakes and determine what needed to be done differently in future operations.

"This is how we debrief every operation, regardless of the circumstances," Anton explained. In cases where time is limited, the field rehearsal of the assault may be skipped, as it is the most logistically demanding part of the preparation. Transporting equipment to a practice location can only be done at night and can sometimes take up to two days. However, if the operation involves personnel from multiple units, every effort is made to conduct a field rehearsal.

"Our brigade commander always tries to secure extra time for us to plan operations," Anton said. "That’s his job. Our job is to provide him with the best possible plan."

A Soldier's Life is Worth More Than a Tank

The Hartia Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard approaches many aspects of military operations differently than a typical Ukrainian Army brigade. They openly state that their practices are modeled on NATO armies.

The most significant difference lies in the role of sergeants and the preparation of soldiers, explained the 30-year-old commander of Hartia’s artillery division, whose callsign, Gefest (the Ukrainian form of Hephaestus, the Greek god of blacksmithing), is fitting for his position.

Gefest described the division sergeant as his primary deputy. The senior sergeant, with the callsign Jackson, is just 26 years old—one of the youngest soldiers in the division—but shoulders full responsibility for the soldiers’ living conditions, equipment, and execution of daily combat assignments. In a standard Ukrainian brigade, these duties would typically fall to an officer. As Gefest put it, “In a typical brigade, the division commander doesn’t sit alongside the sergeant. But in Hartia, we do.”

“Our officers focus on planning, and our sergeants focus on execution,” he explained.

Regarding soldier preparation, Gefest emphasized that before deployment to the front, artillery personnel in the brigade undergo at least 3.5 months of training. More than half of Hartia’s artillery soldiers have received part of their training with the armies of NATO member states supporting Ukraine.

The brigade’s leadership has made soldier preparedness a conscious priority. “Our principle is that we’d rather lose equipment than lives,” Gefest said. “The lives of our soldiers are more important than any piece of machinery.”

In most NATO countries, there is no direct equivalent to Ukraine’s National Guard. These units are militarized forces primarily intended for internal security during peacetime, often referred to as “interior forces.” Their peacetime duties include maintaining order during civil unrest and protecting critical infrastructure like nuclear power plants. However, in the full-scale war with Russia, National Guard brigades—now equipped with heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery—carry out combat missions comparable to those of the regular Ukrainian Army. National Guard brigades often have better training and are more prepared for offensive operations than their army counterparts.