By Yuriy Butusov
04.19.2014 Facebook status
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: https://www.facebook.com/butusov.yuriy/posts/750078871699078?fref=nf

Since I was 12, I have purposefully studied the art of war, including the conduct of sabotage and counter-sabotage operations. In Dnipropetrovsk, I familiarized myself with the real capabilities of our security forces. I will not give estimates [of their capabilities]. I will discuss the strategy that the leadership of our country should realize in the near future.

At first, let’s discuss the main problems military leadership has to face during any war against subversives.

1. Establishment of a special operational command to consolidate the flow of information and ensure immediate response to a changing combat environment.

2. Establishment of rapid response units that receive specific tasks and have the right to use all forces and means. To be part of these forces, soldiers must be psychologically prepared to fight and use weapons, as well as possess relevant qualifications.

3. Obtaining intelligence in real-time, with multi-level confirmation of the informational landscape.

4. Logistic and material support.

5. Data warehousing of actions.

Therefore to solve the crisis, Ukraine needs to create an adequate governance and decision-making structure! Without adopting a structure and its goal-setting any effective management is impossible. And it’s especially impossible to manage during war. So, one needs to create structurally:

1. Creation of a Center for Operational Planning to combat illegal armed groups. To eliminate bureaucratic intermediary links. To concentrate information, planning and problem solving tools in a single headquarters. The composition of the staff should include representatives of the regional headquarters of resistance.

2. Disentangling fighting components from military units and law enforcement agencies. Quality is more important than quantity.

3. Creation of a unified intelligence structure – by the decision of the RNBOU [National Security Defense Council of Ukraine].

4. Establishment of a Logistics Command for an immediate response to the needs of the task force. Attracting business and society for funding and other support for the operational supply fund.

5. Establishment of a Psychological Warfare Command (this way, it is a staff unit within the Armed Forces of the U.S. and the Russian Federation).

Without the adoption of such a decision structure, decision-making and execution of tasks in a crisis is impossible. As a result of inefficient organization, existing bureaucratic institutions are otherwise unable to counteract and resist the enemy. We have no structures ready to wage war – and if you cannot adequately assess the risk, make a decision, then realize it, you will always lose the war – because you cannot work on preempting the enemy. To win the war, we must force the enemy into our initiative. Changes in the [present] structure will allow us to perform this task in the shortest time. I plan to present a more detailed report to competent leaders on Monday [April 21, 2014].

In case this concept is adopted, I am ready to volunteer to be part of such a Center of Operational Planning.

Update: I write about what I understand and know, as well as what can be achieved VERY QUICKLY.

–With Arsen Avakov, Victoria Syumar, Borys Filatov, Dmitry Tymchuk, and Igor Smeshko