Military technology is making great strides

“Ukraine, surprisingly, has a vibrant community of software engineers and developers”

It was advanced technology that did it. Until around 1,100BC, the biggest guy in armour with the longest sword was always going to win. But David’s new-tech catapult put paid to Goliath’s career and the Philistine army. By contrast, three millennia later Britain’s most successful general ever, the Duke of Wellington (who never lost a battle) lacked any technological edge. Yet he defeated three much larger French armies when liberating Spain during the Napoleonic wars. A vital factor was his focus on detailed and up-to-date intelligence on all aspects of the enemy and terrain. Technology and good intelligence explain why Russia singularly failed to subdue Ukraine in a handful of days, as many initially expected.

I would like to see the Russian army both humiliated and pushed out entirely, even though the latter seems unrealistic. Yet even though the invasion began just six months ago, it is already clear that the huge leaps in electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and cyberspace over the last 30 years have radically changed the way governments, their military and businesses will operate in future.

Even before the invasion was official, US and other