January 24, 2025
Colloquium Topic: The War for Ukraine, Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire
The Russo-Ukraine War is a vital learning opportunity for military strategists across the globe. The first and clearest lesson to be gleaned from it is this: the soundness of a military’s strategy and the nimbleness with which it can adapt to unforeseen circumstances are the two most important factors in deciding victory or defeat. The War for Ukraine analyzes the war through these twin lenses of strategy and adaptation, detailing how each army has succeeded or failed to plan for and adapt to this twenty-first-century war.
Author Mick Ryan examines the foundations of Ukrainian and Russian strategy for their ongoing war, looking back over several decades to reveal how both sides have evolved their military strategy and force structure. Each has undertaken institutional-level reforms of their military and national security enterprises in the decade leading up to this war. However, because the emergent behavior of military forces after fighting begins cannot be fully predicted, these prewar reforms only constitute a starting point for adaptation during the war. Part I of the book covers the role of strategic leadership, with a focus on the evolution of strategy since February 2022. From there, the second part of the book delves into how the Ukrainians and Russians have adapted their tactics, organizations, operational approaches, and strategic foundations for war-making throughout the conflict.
Central to this discussion are the ways that, regardless of cutting-edge technology, human elements have remained a crucial deciding factor in Ukraine. Ryan shows how good leadership allows a nation to navigate the ambiguity and uncertainty of conflict, while poor leadership leaves it vulnerable to surprises. Likewise, The War for Ukraine offers case studies of the importance of an institution’s ability to nurture and reward human learning as it relates to combat. The book provides strategists, policymakers, and military leaders with a basis from which to plan for constant adaption in military organizations. General readers of contemporary global conflict will also find The War for Ukraine of great interest.
Colloquium Speaker: MAJGEN Mick Ryan AM
Mick Ryan has commanded soldiers at the troop, squadron, regiment, task force, and brigade levels over 35 years. His operational service includes deployments to East Timor, Iraq, and southern Afghanistan. He has also served as a strategist on the United States Joint Staff in the Pentagon.
Mick has a bachelor's degree in Asian Studies from the University of New England and is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force School of Languages. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and a graduate of the USMC School of Advanced Warfighting. In 2012, he graduated with distinction from the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.
Mick has a long-standing interest in military history and strategy, advanced technologies, organizational innovation, and adaptation theory. He was the inaugural President of the Defence Entrepreneurs Forum (Australia) and is a member of the Military Writers Guild. He is a keen author on the interface of military strategy, innovation, and advanced technologies, as well as how institutions can develop their intellectual edge. He has contributed to several books, including Strategy Strikes Back (2018), Why We Write (2019), On Strategy (2020) To Boldly Go (2021). In 2022, he authored War Transformed, and in 2024, he authored The War for Ukraine. Mick has also authored major reports that include the Ryan Review (2016) and Thinking About Strategic Thinking (2021).
Mick led a series of reforms at the Australian Defence College to adapt curriculum, academic service contracts, teacher training, international engagement, infrastructure, and learning culture for the rigours of the 21st-century security environment.
In February 2022, Mick retired from the Australian Army after 35 years of continuous service.