Ukraine’s Success in Countering Russian Invasion Inspires Taiwan’s Defense Strategy
The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) have achieved remarkable success in repelling the Russian invasion, leaving the global military community astonished. Initially, it was widely believed that Ukraine would succumb to a swift Russian blitz, with the Ukrainian leadership fleeing and a puppet regime installed. However, the tide turned, and now, after a year and a half of relentless resilience, bravery, and strategic tactics, the UAF is in a position to potentially drive out the Russian invaders entirely.
The UAF’s performance hasn’t gone unnoticed, particularly by countries facing similar security challenges. Taiwan, in particular, has drawn lessons from Ukraine to develop its own defense strategy against Chinese aggression. In their recently released National Defense Report, Taiwan emphasizes the importance of fighting a war of attrition, asymmetric warfare, and investing in domestic arms development and manufacturing.
One of the key aspects learned from Ukraine is the effectiveness of sustained grinding conflicts. Wars of attrition typically favor defenders due to their proximity to supply hubs and the morale boost from defending their own homeland. Taiwan’s Defense Report echoes this sentiment, expressing its readiness to turn any conflict with China into a protracted battle:
By integrating all-out defense capacity and employing long-range denial and multi-domain defense approaches, it will impose unacceptable risks and costs on any enemy invasion against Taiwan, deterring ruthless aggression and safeguarding our territory, sovereignty, national security, regional peace, and stability.
Taiwan has long recognized the considerable military disparity between itself and China, making engaging in a conventional set-piece battle suicidal. However, Taiwan can make it incredibly challenging for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to make any gains on the island, especially considering the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
Geography plays a critical role in Taiwan’s defense. The island nation is separated by a rough 97 nautical mile strait, with only a few suitable beaches for amphibious assaults. Should the PLA establish beachheads, they would face arduous battles across mountainous and densely populated urban terrain, constantly encountering harassing defenders.
Taiwan could also exploit tactics like utilizing small suicide drones, a proven effective strategy used in Ukraine. By focusing their defense industry on developing and deploying such technologies, Taiwan can gain a substantial advantage at a relatively low cost.
In conclusion, Ukraine’s success in countering the Russian invasion has not only shocked the world but also inspired countries like Taiwan to adapt their defense strategies accordingly. By drawing on the lessons learned from Ukraine, Taiwan aims to fight a war of attrition, employ asymmetric tactics, and invest in domestic arms development and manufacturing. The outcome of Taiwan’s approach to defending against Chinese aggression remains to be seen, but it is evident that the resilience and tactics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to shape military thinking worldwide.
