Ukrainian soldiers have incredible tactical patience and are far happier moving slowly than the British military

"Some Western trainers working with Ukrainian soldiers first assumed their trainees were "a bit lazy" when they insisted on moving slowly, a former instructor told Business Insider. But as the British military officer helping lead the training watched them meticulously secure everything and learned why the Ukrainians were doing what they were doing, he realized it all made tactical sense. Rushing can be fatal, as a soldier could miss a trip wire, bunker, or some other danger lurking on the battlefield."

"Maj. Maguire, who spoke to Business Insider about his Operation Interflex experience on the condition that just his rank and last name be used, said there was a "mindset difference" between the Ukrainians and the British. It is distinct because Ukraine is in an existential fight with practical combat experience. From their experiences battling Russia, the Ukrainians had discovered that speed isn't always best; sometimes, moving slowly with patience is key to surviving the fight."

Western trainers initially misinterpreted Ukrainian soldiers' deliberate slow movements as laziness. Close observation revealed deliberate, tactical caution based on recent combat experience. Moving deliberately allows soldiers to detect trip wires, bunkers, and other hidden dangers that rushing would miss. Different tasks demand different tempos: trench clearing requires speed, while urban assaults often require crawling, seizing a building, and waiting for coordination. Soldiers routinely pause at doors to inspect wiring and check for hazards, prolonging movement but increasing survivability. Leadership training for Ukrainian soldiers ran for six months, ending in July 2024.

Read at Business Insider