Military Geography and GeographicalFactor in the Russian War in Ukraine

Abstract

The article draws attention to the increasing military conflicts and wars at the regional level, as well as the role of geography in their preparation and conduct. Military operations always take place in real time and in real space, therefore, the study of the geographical environment is vital for any socially organized structure that has a military organization (armed forces). Geographical factors (the size of territories, population, relief and landscape features, hydrology and climate, forest cover, and other factors) have long been taken into account when planning and conducting military operations or developing (capturing) new regions. In terms of military geography, geographical knowledge of space, and the necessary scale, provides an understanding of contemporary security issues and promotes the idea that such understanding is critical to understanding and managing significant military issues on a local, regional, and global scale. Attention is drawn to specific methods for the preparation and conduct of military operations—geographic information systems (GIS) in conjunction with aerospace sounding. Without them, modern wars are not produced. The importance of some geographical factors is confirmed by specific examples during the Russian aggression against Ukraine (2014–2023).