Russian Troops' Old-School Defense Tactics Prove Successful in Ukraine, Experts Say

Russian troops have been constructing intricate fortifications in Ukraine, including concrete-lined trenches, barbed wire, dragon's teeth, anti-tank ditches, and plenty of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, posing a major tactical challenge to Ukrainian offensive operations. Russian engineering has proven to be one of the stronger branches of the Russian military, and their fortification doctrine has seen little methodological change since the Cold War. The most formidable part of Russian defenses is mines, which are difficult to clear due to their multiple triggers and anti-tampering devices. Russian mines rarely follow a discernible pattern and are seldom marked, making identification and clearance of those mines that much harder.