Hydraulic warfare
Flooded fields near Kyiv: is Ukraine holding back the Russian advance with water barriers?
Satellite imagery has attracted the interest of military strategists. They show that a region north of Kyiv was flooded. An intended obstacle to the Russian advance?
A moat, as known from castles or some medieval castles, is probably one of the oldest defense systems in the world. But water barriers still serve their purpose in modern wars – for example, when you want to put as many obstacles as possible in the way of an advancing force. “Hydraulic warfare” is what experts call it, and are currently wondering whether the Ukrainian army used this ancient tool.
The question arose because satellite images from Planet Labs, a US Earth observation company, show that large areas north of the capital Kyiv were flooded in the first days of the Russian invasion in late February. Whether this was done on purpose is not clear, but it would be a convenient means of achieving what military experts have been observing since the beginning of the war: a noticeable slowdown in the advance of Russian forces towards the Ukrainian capital. And this despite the fact that the capture of Kyiv is considered to be the main goal of the Russian campaign that is decisive for the war.
Kyiv: Experts assume intentional flooding
According to Planet Labs, observers of the situation believe that the Ukrainians did in fact intentionally flood the site. A water reservoir near Kyiv could be considered, the destruction of which was confirmed by the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, the Washington Post reports. However, he stated that a dam had been destroyed by Russian forces, which led to the flooding. Whether the ambassador actually referred to the region shown in the satellite images also remained open.
It goes without saying that the Ukrainians do not want to be looked at in the current situation. According to defensive experts, however, the water barrier would certainly be suitable for a defensive fight against a superior opponent. “When you defend, you try to use what you have,” explains Marta Kepe of the think tank Rand Corp, which advises the US armed forces. Rivers, swamps, and other water barriers could be effective in defence, but are often underestimated.
© Screenshot/Twitter
Ukraine can use superior local knowledge
Ukraine had to launch a large-scale defense operation, Kepe continued. It can be assumed “that they can use their superior knowledge of the terrain to their advantage”. Thorough local knowledge and knowledge of the terrain is essential for hydraulic interventions in the terrain.
Examples of hydraulic warfare do exist – especially in the Netherlands from the 16th century onwards. During the Second World War, water was used primarily by Finland and the Soviet Union as a line of defense. The most famous example of strategic flooding is the breaching of the Yellow River dams by the Chinese military. During the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1938, this was intended to stop the advance of Japanese troops. The flood devastated large areas and is still considered the largest case of environmental warfare to date. In any case, this type of defense is often far-reaching, but ineffective. With a few exceptions, it is therefore primarily a “last resort”, according to defense expert Kepe.
Swell: “Washington Post”; Planet Labs; MilitaryLand.net