Ukraine's recent counter-offensive shows some key insights about modern warfare. Ukrainian forces, aided by Western firepower, have upset traditional military logic once again. Advancing deep into Ukrainian territory seized by Moscow earlier in its invasion, a counter-offensive launched in September 2022, has forced back the invading Russian army. In the process, Kyiv has recaptured over 2,000 square miles of land in the country's northeast and left Moscow's prized units like the 1st Tank Guards Army in disarray.

The success of the counter-offensive has shown that what is known in military circles as "operational art" – the creative use of time, space and forces to achieve a position of advantage – can be more important than relative combat power and simply counting the tanks and artillery possessed by either side in conflict.