Member-only story
Why Do Eastern European Soldiers Always Wear Ski Masks?
I recently interviewed five Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting against Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. During my interview, I jokingly asked one young soldier, who calls himself Myhalych, “Why do Russian and Ukrainian soldiers always wear balaclavas?”
After a long pause, he stated, “I mean no disrespect, Sergeant O’Donnell, but that is a silly question.”
The balaclava, commonly known as the ski mask, originated in the Ukrainian town of that name during the Crimean War battle there in 1854. British troops wore the headgear to keep warm.
Later, in the Soviet Union, the balaclava was a standard-issue uniform item for many units across the Red Army. Today, its use has spread beyond eastern Europe to police, SWAT, special forces and terrorist organizations around the world.
During the Irish War for Independence and “the Troubles”, members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) wore balaclava masks to conceal their identities.
Why Is Use of Masks So Integral for Russian And Ukrainian Fighters?
The importance of wearing balaclava masks is tied to a fighting tactic the Russians have used for more than 100 years. This Russian military doctrine is called “maskirovka” and covers a broad range of military deception measures.
At its core, maskirovka is designed to sow confusion. A 1988 Pentagon study of the technique says “Maskirovka may be conducted in any environment to deny information to sensors.”
Writing for the Moscow Times, Michele A. Berdy states, “маскировка” [Something masked] has a broader military meaning: strategic, operational, physical and tactical deception. Apparently, in U.S. military terminology, this is called either CC&D (camouflage, concealment and deception) or more recently D&D (denial and deception). It is the whole shebang — from guys in ski masks or uniforms with no insignia to undercover activities to hidden weapons transfers, to starting a civil war but pretending that you’ve done nothing of the sort.”
In Ukraine, however, balaclavas are “maskirovka” at its most pragmatic.
