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Home > Open Access Journals > JSS > Vol. 18 > Lessons Learned from the War in Ukraine

 

Author Biography

Dr. Russell W. Glenn spent sixteen years as a senior analyst in the think tank community before serving on the faculty of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, the Australian National University, these following retirement from the US Army. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California, Stanford University (2), and US Army School of Advanced Military Studies. His PhD is from the University of Kansas. Media appearances include CNN Reports, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and The History Channel in addition to being cited in The Economist, Jane’s Defence Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, The Wall Street Journal, and Associated Press syndicated articles. Recent publications are Brutal Catalyst: What Ukraine’s Cities Tell Us about Recovery from War (KeyPoint Press, 2024) and Gods’ War, an American Civil War novel (Innovative Defense Solutions, 2023).

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.18.4.2436

Subject Area Keywords

Civil affairs, Europe and EU, Foreign aid, Humanitarian assistance, International security, Security policy

Abstract

Mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Ukraine had killed over 400 civilians and wounded nearly 1,000 more as 2024 approached its final weeks. Late 2023 estimates pegged the cost of neutralization at $37 billion. Addressing the lingering dangers posed by mines, artillery and tank rounds in abandoned depots, dud missiles and rockets, and the occasional unexploded drone munition presents Kyiv with one of its most difficult and costly recovery challenges. Problems include identifying which areas are, in fact, contaminated and the extent of the hazard, measuring and maximizing the effectiveness of decontamination rather than merely gauging the effort expended on deactivation or removal, and determining the best way to educate Ukraine’s citizens regarding the threats posed by UXO. The last is a particular concern when it comes to children. Many anti-personnel mines consist of colorful plastic parts. They are sometimes mistaken for toys…with obvious consequences. UXO poses a disaster within the catastrophe that is Ukraine’s war, one exacerbated daily as missiles continue to fly, drones bomb, and shells fall, daily adding to the total of mines, other UXO, and that $37 billion in lurking peril and looming expenditure. Current munitions design and targeting decisions often overlook the potential for reducing the costs in human lives and fiscal expenditure. Observations seeking to redress this shortfall appear at the article’s end.

Acknowledgements

For more on this topic, see the relevant chapter in the author’s Brutal Catalyst: What Ukraine’s Cities Tell Us About Recovery From War published in 2024 by KeyPoint Press.

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