Centre of Gravity: From Theoretical Baseline to the Practical Application of the Concept

The centre of gravity concept is one of the fundamental, yet highly controversial pillars of contemporary military science. Although over the past decades the centre of gravity has become the modus operandi of the planning and conduct of (major) military operations in a number of armed forces, questions arise about the utility of the concept. In this light, we have sought to improve the theoretical understanding and demonstrate the relevance of the concept in the context of a recent armed conflict. We examined the first phase of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in which the Russian army-sized combat group appeared to be the centre of gravity, and the logistics (sub-) system a critical vulnerability of the Russian forces.