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Ask HN: Is this is a new kind of war?

7 points by prmph ↗ HN
Today I read a headline in the NY Times[1]: > Ukraine and Russia Agree to Extend Black Sea Grain Deal.

Meanwhile Russia is raining deadly missiles on Ukraine, who are fighting back with all they've got.

I'm struggling to think of another conflict where the combatants were this cooperative with each other.

Also, the war is probably the first major conflict between large nations that is being streamed live as it is happening.

Which is to say, the war is really weird.

1. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/17/world/russia-ukraine-news

6 comments

[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 31.5 ms ] thread
bell-cot
Not much live streaming...but I'd bet that ~every major European war of the past millennium has had quite a bit of combat/cooperate stuff going on. While the "young soldier's view" may be that wars are won and lost in battles, the reality is that any major war is an enormous social, political, and logistical undertaking. And in the end, wars are won and lost in human minds. So all sorts of ridiculous behavior can make perfect sense for a nation at war - because it is aimed at swaying human minds, not at slaying enemy combatants.
newprint
Russians are forced into grain deal, otherwise famine would hit Middle-East & African countries. However, I bet Russians will soon start heavy bombardment of Ukrainian granaries, since they are running out of viable civilian targets.
pinguin3
Yes, it is a new kind of war. War evolves over time and will increase in complexity.

1500-1600: Introduction of firearms Rise of naval warfare

1600-1700: Artillery advancements Professional armies

1700-1800: Linear tactics Multinational conflicts

1800-1900: Nationalism in warfare Industrialization

1900-2000: World Wars Technological advancements

2000-now Rise of asymmetric warfare Introduction of drones and AI to Cyber warfare

wojciii
There is no live streaming.

There is a lot of propaganda content released by both sides. The Russian propaganda is clearly meant for their own population..and of no good quality.

I really hope that the Ukrainians are going to win given their new capabilities and weapons.