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Joint Force Quarterly

Abstract

"A Primer on Ukrainian Special Forces: Beyond Joint" by Kevin D. Stringer and Taisiia Vivdych examines the evolution, structure, and operations of Ukrainian special operations forces (SOF), highlighting key distinctions from U.S. and NATO models. Tracing their lineage from Soviet spetsnaz to contemporary formations, it analyzes the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces Command (USOFCOM), State Security Service’s Special Operations Center Alfa (SOCA), Rapid Response Corps (KORD), the 10th Separate Operational Response Unit (DOZOR), Foreign Intelligence Service (SZR) units, and the volunteer Kraken Regiment under the Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR). Ukrainian SOF are dispersed across military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, creating coordination challenges and requiring careful adaptation of security force assistance (SFA) from Western partners. The article details their roles in wartime operations since 2014, including the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion, emphasizing special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and urban combat. The analysis highlights the risks of applying Western organizational templates to Ukraine and the opportunities for NATO and U.S. forces to enhance SFA through a holistic understanding of Ukraine’s SOF ecosphere. Lessons from unconventional units like Kraken offer insights for force generation, recruitment, and innovation in allied SOF structures.

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