Minerva's drone over the kingdom of Mars: Russia's special military operation in Ukraine as an armed conflict (philosophical and sociological aspects)

Wars continue to plague humanity in the 21st century, serving as a means to resolve contradictions in societal development. Russia's Special Military Operation in Ukraine (SMO), being a major armed conflict, holds immense significance for the evolution of military affairs. This article attempts to identify the key features of the SMO as an armed conflict. Firstly, the SMO represents the most substantial armed conflict worldwide since World War II, making its lessons exceptionally valuable. Secondly, the SMO has marked a transition to a new stage in the de-autonomization of war. This is evident, on one hand, in the deeper and more multifaceted impact on the consciousness of the military and society than ever before. On the other hand, it is reflected in the more extensive use of economic methods of struggle (economic sanctions) than at any time in the past. Thirdly, the SMO has ushered in a new phase in the development of automatized weapons, involving the synergistic employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), high- precision missile and artillery systems, guided glide bombs, anti-tank missile systems, air defense systems, electronic warfare capabilities, tanks, motorized infantry, and more. The deployment of drone swarms has played a particularly crucial role, decisively influencing tactics and strategy. Despite lagging behind developed countries in terms of its productive forces, Russia's experience with the large-scale use of automated weapons during the SMO has propelled the combat effectiveness of its ground forces ahead of all the world's leading nations. Fourthly, the SMO has evolved into a positional war, characterized by a predominantly stable front line. This is due to the fact that automatized means of destruction surpass the effectiveness of troop mobility assets (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, aviation). As a major armed conflict, the SMO will lead to the resolution of the military bureaucracy paradox and foster the careers of proactive and talented officers. This will naturally position the Russian army's officer corps as the world's finest.