How the Weak Win Wars: An Examination of the Russo-Ukraine War

While the success in Ukraine has resulted from broader U.S. government (USG) assistance with funding, weapons supply, and diplomatic efforts, this thesis examines the critical role of U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) and partner nation support in the years prior to Russia's invasion, providing significant insight to USSOF's role in deterrence and defense. As U.S. national security challenges have pivoted from the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) to Great Power Competition (GPC), military thinkers and planners have grappled with the role of USSOF against the threats of Russia and China. The Ukraine scenario, and the significant role that USSOF and our partner forces have played, highlights a critical new set of mission areas in GPC. The Ukraine conflict highlights the importance of proactive and persistent engagement with partner nations to inform USG planning efforts to assist countries in enhancing their deterrence and defense networks. This study aims to illustrate how USSOF can most effectively engage with partner nations to thwart potential great power incursions, an especially salient question given Russian revanchism and Chinese aggressive rhetoric for the reunification of Taiwan.