In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman reports from Ukraine and examines why Ukrainian forces held a decisive advantage against Russia in the opening phase of the war.
Through conversations with a former U.S. Marine volunteer fighter and Ukrainian defense reformer Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Ackerman explores weapons, doctrine, morale, and battlefield adaptation.
Ukraine, Russia, and the Human Factor
Ackerman argues that Ukraine’s greatest edge was not technology or tactics alone, but the motivation of soldiers fighting for their families, homes, and national survival.
Mission Command and Military Doctrine
The essay contrasts Ukraine’s decentralized, NATO-style mission command with Russia’s centralized command structure, showing how initiative and adaptability shaped battlefield outcomes near Kyiv.
The Three-to-One Advantage
At its center, the piece invokes Napoleon’s maxim that morale outweighs physical factors in war, explaining why Ukrainian resolve became a decisive force multiplier.