Ukraine’s army seeks to give frontline commanders more authority

KYIV: Ukrainian staff sergeant Vitalii Tomchyshak believes he knows how to beat Russia on the battlefield: empower frontline leaders such as himself to make critical decisions.

Too often, Tomchyshak says, combat commanders are overruled by senior officers who do not understand the specifics of a battlefield situation. “It doesn’t matter who you are — a sergeant, an officer, anyone — you need to be listened to,” the…