MAGAZINE
FALL 2020 command in the period from April 2018 to May 2019 , was built on this principle . Now , taking into consideration the conditions of limited information about the enemy and the fleeting situation on the ground , commanders – not in theory but through practical experience – make their own decisions using the Commander ’ s intent as a guide . They no longer wait for specific instructions , and subsequently only report on the consistent implementation of the task and its effectiveness . Already , this newly created Command of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has achieved strategic status . We only have to finalize staffing with some specialities to complete the transformation within our desired timeline . During the final stages of our transformation we will have to take part in certain validation exercises and pass a readiness evaluation to certify our ability to exercise oversight and coordinate the full capabilities of our Armed Forces in combat and crisis situations . It is at this time we will have demonstrated we are ready to perform our functions as a governing body .
Western Ways of Command and Control Our foreign colleagues have focused a lot on the use of the Western approach to official military activities called “ Mission Command ”, which we first used effectively during the Anti- Terrorist Operation , and now are using during the Joint Forces Operation . The main concept of Mission Command aims to give broader powers to lower-level commanders to plan and deploy a unit . However , until 2014 we had the opposite approach due to the fact that the Ukrainian army was based on the postulates of the Soviet military school where the highest governing body had to decentralize almost everything to the commanders , leaving no room for initiative . It is thanks to the experience shared with us by foreign advisers that the need to establish the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was proved .
The Joint Forces Command , which oversees the operation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts , and which I had the honor to
Expanding Our Role In the future , our General Staff will prepare proposals for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on actions required to address particular military threat . In accordance with these decisions , the Command of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be given assets , as well as tasks to execute joint operations . Regarding the Joint Forces Operation launched on April 30 , 2018 in accordance with the Law of Ukraine – “ On features of the state policy ensuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions ” – and the Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine –” On the launch of the Joint Forces Operation to ensure national security and defense , repel and deter armed aggression of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions ” – at present the Command of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been given no authority or tasks to manage these aspects . This operation is independent and is regulated by separate legal documents . It is possible , however , after the completion of the preparation process , a separate decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will transfer all responsibility for conducting military operations to us , including the Joint Forces Operation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions . It is true , after all , that in the case of abrupt changes in the military situation around Ukraine , the transfer of control over the use of troops , forces , joint groups and units to my organization will be carried out immediately . The establishment of the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a requirement for us to modernize into a pro-European thinking organization that is interoperable according to Western standards . Thus , we must enter NATO well prepared with the appropriate theoretical and practical knowledge to become a full partner . LC
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