The Intelligence Importance in the War in Ukraine – A HUMINT Perspective to the Human Terrain
The Intelligence Importance in the War in Ukraine – A HUMINT Perspective to the Human Terrain

Summary/Abstract: The war in Ukraine provides invaluable lessons for global diplomacy and nations’ foreign policy and national security, military assistance and operations planning and execution, strategic communication and deterrence, cybersecurity, the global economy, the energy market, and the effects of soft-power sanctions. What are less visible and are still analysed in line with the operational tempo, are observations and lessons with critical importance in adapting the military power (among the other instruments of power) in gaining desired effects on the battlefield. In this large-scale multi-domain operation, intelligence collection is vital, with various assets such as HUMINT, CYBERINT, MASINT, and OSINT contributing to situational awareness. HUMINT, in particular, operates in local communities within the Area of Intelligence Interest, emphasizing the importance of understanding the “human terrain” and the roots of the conflict based on history, language, ethnicity, and border issues. This understanding shapes the principles of HUMINT organisation, interactions with local communities and organisations, operational security, and counterintelligence measures. The paper provides an empirical analysis of the human terrain, based on open-source reports and war stories, and following several lines of the HUMINT tradecraft. It aims to engage the HUMINT professional community in multidisciplinary analysis of human factors, defence scenario modelling in complex human terrain, and simulating HUMINT activities in hybrid warfare conditions. To address the evolving landscape of warfare, it is crucial to upgrade training and exercising settings, focusing on individual knowledge and skills, especially concerning emerging and disrupting technologies that impact modern warfare tactics, techniques, and procedures.

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