[News in War History] The Logistics Supply Route Overlooked by Russia... The Dense Ukrainian Railway Network

Biden and Western Leaders' Visit Route... 'Steel Diplomacy'
Railway Blown Up Immediately After Outbreak... Russia Fails to Secure Supply Lines
Tanks Halted Due to Fuel Transport Failure... Operation Overturned

Editor's Note[News in War History] is a content series created to provide multifaceted perspectives on the constantly unfolding war and conflict news worldwide. Through 'News,' we first examine the current situation; through 'History,' we analyze the hidden meanings behind the news; and through 'Implication,' we offer insights into the near future. We will bring this to you every Sunday, and after 40 episodes, it will also be published as a book.

Recently, U.S. President Joe Biden made a secret visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It became a global sensation that he traveled from Poland to Kyiv by Ukrainian railway for 10 hours. Although many Western leaders have already visited Kyiv via this railway, all have completed their visits safely, drawing attention to the resilience of Ukraine's railway system.

The railway has played a crucial role in repelling the invasion by Russia, the world's second-largest military power. All supplies supported by the West, troop transports to the front lines, and civilian evacuations have been possible because Ukraine's railway network has held firm. Conversely, Russia, having failed to seize control of the railway network early in the war, has struggled due to inadequate supply lines.

The disastrous performance of the Russian army early in the war, which was widely reported worldwide and became an international embarrassment, is also analyzed as a result of their failure to control Ukraine's railway network. Despite overwhelming advantages in war experience, capability, weaponry, and strategy, the Russian forces failed to achieve their early objectives because they could not properly supply basic necessities such as rations, ammunition, and fuel for tanks.

◆News: 'Iron Diplomacy' That Made Biden's Kyiv Visit Possible

[Image source=Ukraine railways Twitter]

The most notable event during the first anniversary of the Ukraine war was President Biden's surprise visit to Kyiv. On the 20th (local time), he flew to Poland and then traveled by train for 10 hours from Poland to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which attracted widespread attention.

The head of Ukraine's state-owned railway company, Ukrainian Railways, expressed great pride that all employees made this historic visit possible. On the 22nd (local time), Oleksandr Kamyshin, CEO of Ukrainian Railways, appeared on CNN and said, "We are very proud that President Biden used our train, which we call 'Rail Force One.' Since the war broke out in February last year, over 300 delegations worldwide have used our trains, and we call our mission to safely transport these leaders 'Iron Diplomacy.'"

Ukrainian Railways is the sixth-largest railway operator in the world. Since the Soviet era, Ukraine has laid a dense railway network to transport grain from its granary regions, currently possessing nearly 20,000 km of railway lines. Therefore, from the early stages of the war, controlling this vast logistical artery spread across Ukraine was predicted to determine victory or defeat.

On the 20th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) are embracing and greeting each other in front of the Wall of Remembrance for Fallen Soldiers in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Photo by AFP·Yonhap News

However, the Russian army underestimated this railway. According to Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Ukrainian Railways and military authorities began destroying all railways connected to Russia around February 20, just before the war started, but the Russian forces did not respond significantly. When the Russian army began its advance on the 24th, four days later, the Ukrainian forces had retreated to their first defensive line, but no usable railways remained for the Russians.

Realizing that supply transport was impossible, the Russian army issued a month's worth of supplies to soldiers all at once. According to the British Guardian, about 30,000 Russian troops advancing from Belarus through Ukraine's northern border toward Kyiv received massive supplies on February 22, two days before the war started. However, unable to carry all these supplies into battle, most soldiers sold them on the black market in Belarus and headed to the front lightly equipped. Thus, the Russian army began the war already burdened with supply issues.

This supply problem hampered the Russian army early in the war. The vanguard unit that immediately bombed Kyiv near Belarus and the main armored force that started advancing about 700 km away in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region could not coordinate their attacks. The vanguard failed to secure a proper supply line and was defeated by Ukrainian defenders, failing to establish a bridgehead. The armored units, unable to receive fuel supplies via rail, abandoned over 2,000 tanks on the roadside and began marching on foot.

◆History 1: Russian Army Similar to Sui Dynasty Forces at the Battle of Salsu

The ethnic record painting "Battle of Salsu" completed by artist Park Gak-sun in 1975.
[Image source=War Memorial]

Reviewing the news from the early stages of the war may remind you of the 'Battle of Salsu' taught in Korean history textbooks. Like the Russian army, the Sui dynasty forces also started their war burdened with supply problems.

According to the Book of Sui (隋書), in 612 AD, Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty, who unified China, led an army of 1.13 million to invade Goguryeo. When the front lines reached a stalemate, Emperor Yang ordered commander Yu Zhongwen to lead a special force of 300,000 troops to advance on Goguryeo's capital, Pyongyang. This operation, penetrating deep into the enemy's core after breaking through defenses, was extremely risky.

Since the army had to advance with cut-off supply lines, Yu Zhongwen ordered soldiers to carry as many supplies as possible. Each soldier was instructed to carry about 3 seom (approximately 80 kg) of weapons, rations, and hay for horses. However, soldiers, having to march hundreds of kilometers from Liaodong Fortress to Pyongyang, could not endure this burden and began secretly burying their supplies.

Despite threats of execution for abandoning supplies, it was impossible to search all 300,000 soldiers. Ultimately, the Sui army had to retreat due to lack of supplies before properly fighting Goguryeo forces, and the counterattacking Goguryeo army succeeded in annihilating most of the enemy.

◆History 2: 'Logistics,' the Origin of the Word 'Logic'

[Image source= North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) website]

Because even the strongest armies faced devastating defeats when supply failed, the study of 'logistics' (兵站, Logistics)?the transport of rations, weapons, and troops?has been crucial since ancient times. Today, the word 'logistics' is used similarly in the context of supply chains. Interestingly, the term originates from 'logic,' which in mathematics and computer science means reasoning.

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, 'logic' comes from the ancient Greek word 'logistikos,' originally meaning a person skilled in calculation and arithmetic. In ancient societies, the only fields requiring calculations involving tens of thousands were military conscription and supply transport. Thus, the meanings of both logic and logistics derive from this military supply context.

The appearance of Lieutenant General Mutaguchi Renya.

Generals who failed to recognize the importance of logistics invariably suffered defeats. Some became infamous as incompetent commanders in history. One such figure was Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi (牟田口 廉也), commander of the Japanese 15th Army during World War II, who recklessly launched the 'Imphal Operation' in 1944, leading to defeat.

In March 1944, Mutaguchi led approximately 85,000 troops stationed in Myanmar under the 15th Army to launch an aggressive attack on British India. He ignored his staff's concerns about logistics and proceeded with the attack. Advancing through the jungle region of the Bay of Bengal, he proposed adopting the 13th-century Mongol 'Genghis Khan' tactic of seizing enemy supplies during the advance.

His plan involved carrying ammunition on animals like oxen and horses through the underdeveloped rail and road networks in the jungle, then slaughtering the animals for food once the ammunition was delivered. However, he did not consider how to transport the 20,000 tons of hay needed to feed these animals or how to supply the soldiers themselves.

When his staff suggested air-dropping supplies in the jungle, he dismissed the idea, claiming planes were unnecessary in the jungle. However, the British forces effectively solved their supply problems using air drops. Ultimately, over 50,000 of Mutaguchi's 85,000 troops died of starvation without properly fighting, and the operation ended in a catastrophic defeat.

◆Implication: "An Army Moves Only When Its Stomach Is Full"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Both current events on the Ukrainian front and historical wars clearly demonstrate how neglecting supply lines such as railways and roads leads to catastrophic failure. The success or failure of Russia's anticipated 'Spring Offensive' starting next month also appears to hinge on supply issues.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia is expected to deploy about 150,000 of the 300,000 newly conscripted reservists to the front lines by March.

As U.S. and Western sanctions against Russia prolong, attention is focused on whether the Russian army, which failed to maintain supplies even before sanctions, can succeed this time. Recent Russian media reports exposing poor supply conditions in various training units have sparked significant controversy within Russia. However, some argue that the Russian army, having conserved strength without large-scale battles since last summer, may have somewhat resolved supply issues.

The Ukrainian army, eagerly awaiting Western support, is also expected to face supply maintenance as a critical challenge going forward. There are concerns that if neither side can engage decisively, the front lines will become completely stalemated, prolonging the war and increasing civilian casualties. As Napoleon Bonaparte famously said, armies move only when their stomachs are full?this remains true then and now.