Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1542142
The targets of such attacks will include, in particular, in addition to military facilities: •energy facilities, both in generation and transmission (power plants and transformer substations); in winter attacks on district-heating installations are also likely; - fuel infrastructure — both refineries and liquid fuel depots, as well as gas-network infrastructure; - the transport network — especially rail and road ne- tworks; - telecommunications and IT infrastructure and gover- nment administration buildings. Destroying critical infrastructure could enable Russia to achieve its strategic objectives without a ground inva- sion. The idea behind such actions is to make civilian life increasingly difficult – ultimately unbearable – and to for- ce authorities to capitulate. This type of threat therefore defines the priorities for the development of population protection and civil defense. While militarily, missiles, aircraft and helicopters will be used to counter airborne attack means, one must assume that some attacks will be effective and that losses inflic- ted by the adversary must be limited. Having already a broad package of possible measures, especially regarding population-protection entities – which, importantly, are not only state institutions but may also include enterprises and non-governmental or- ganizations − the state must prepare to confront such a challenge. Of course, when the phrase "missile and drone attacks" is heard, shelters and other protective structures natu- rally come to mind, and these also have their place in the civil-defense system. Five years is too short to build a network of shelters comparable to Finland's or Switzer- land's, but it is possible to take inventory of and prepare for the use of existing facilities, including places of impro- vised refuge (such as existing underground parking gara- ges). It is better to have 30% capability than none at all. Shelters and protected spaces are only one piece of the puzzle – in the event of armed conflict the availability of personnel and specialized equipment enabling rescue ope- rations and the reconstruction of destroyed infrastruc- ture will be crucial, and this must be an absolute priority. In particular, existing legal provisions concerning popu- lation-protection and civil-defense entities and wartime mobilization assignments should be used to quickly regu- larize personnel issues. ANALYSIS