Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

War rarely announces itself politely; instead, it abruptly restructures systems that once appeared routine into matters of existential urgency. Nowhere is this transformation more evident than in Ukraine’s railway network. Since the full-scale invasion of February 24, 2022, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) has evolved from a largely invisible economic backbone into a central artery of national survival. This article examines how the railway system absorbed simultaneous shocks, including military attacks, infrastructural collapse, and a minus 44.3% contraction in the transport sector while maintaining operational continuity under extreme wartime pressure. Drawing upon statistical data, policy documents, and theoretical insights from resilience and vulnerability research, the analysis situates railway infrastructure at the intersection of logistics, geopolitics, and humanitarian response. The study argues that Ukraine’s railway system represents not merely a resilient infrastructure but a strategically transformative mechanism that catalyzed a structural shift in international freight flows, enabling rail to partially replace maritime routes that previously dominated export logistics. The article contributes to transport resilience scholarship by illustrating how large-scale conflict accelerates adaptation cycles, strengthens institutional learning, and redefines the operational role of railway systems in contested environments.

The paper addresses the introduction of predictive maintenance for military ground equipment under field conditions through assisted diagnostics and remote expert collaboration. It proposes a “field-level PdM” process–data framework linking on-site evidence capture, standardized recording of maintenance events, and subsequent analytics, including remaining useful life (RUL) prognostics. The approach is examined via scenario-based pilot testing that evaluates time to fault identification, record quality, and robustness under degraded connectivity. Expected outcomes include reduced downtime, improved asset availability, and enhanced data readiness for PdM analyses. The discussion situates the approach within current initiatives of the Czech Armed Forces and highlights ergonomic and safety considerations associated with long-term use of hands-free devices. The study provides a basis for further operational and economic assessment.