Moral Injury in current conflict – War in Ukraine and perfidious warfare
| Thursday, May 21, 2026 |
| 8:31 PM - 8:32 PM |
Speaker
GPCAPT Jeff Stephenson
Clinical Director Primary Health Care
Royal Australian Air Force
Moral Injury in current conflict – War in Ukraine and perfidious warfare
Abstract Document
Moral Injury in current conflict – War in Ukraine and perfidious warfare
“The Russia-Ukraine conflict heralds a new philosophy of warfare. Drones, AI, machine learning and cybersecurity are exponentially changing the battlefield. New iterations of drone technology and counter measures are occurring on a two-monthly cycle. Kill zones now have a 50 km bandwidth, with drones the primary strike tool inflicting 70 per cent of personnel injuries and 75 per cent of equipment and vehicle damage.
Combatants on both sides are perpetrating and witnessing actions that contradict moral beliefs and ignoring laws of armed conflict. Ongoing feelings of guilt, shame and fear from this moral injury are causing profound levels of psychological harm manifest by a variety of clinical conditions and social behaviours. In addition, combatants and civilians have developed a phobia of drones and open spaces.
Perfidious warfare ensues, with maiming and disabling preferred over killing. Civilians, health personnel and evacuation systems are deliberately targeted, with military health facilities regularly overwhelmed. Civilians and health personnel are no longer protected under the rules of armed conflict. GPCAPT Stephenson speaks of drones being “A Paradigm Change in Military Medicine”, and provides an update on the moral and clinical lessons from the Ukraine conflict. Contemporary takeaways from NATO are applied in our geostrategic region.”
“The Russia-Ukraine conflict heralds a new philosophy of warfare. Drones, AI, machine learning and cybersecurity are exponentially changing the battlefield. New iterations of drone technology and counter measures are occurring on a two-monthly cycle. Kill zones now have a 50 km bandwidth, with drones the primary strike tool inflicting 70 per cent of personnel injuries and 75 per cent of equipment and vehicle damage.
Combatants on both sides are perpetrating and witnessing actions that contradict moral beliefs and ignoring laws of armed conflict. Ongoing feelings of guilt, shame and fear from this moral injury are causing profound levels of psychological harm manifest by a variety of clinical conditions and social behaviours. In addition, combatants and civilians have developed a phobia of drones and open spaces.
Perfidious warfare ensues, with maiming and disabling preferred over killing. Civilians, health personnel and evacuation systems are deliberately targeted, with military health facilities regularly overwhelmed. Civilians and health personnel are no longer protected under the rules of armed conflict. GPCAPT Stephenson speaks of drones being “A Paradigm Change in Military Medicine”, and provides an update on the moral and clinical lessons from the Ukraine conflict. Contemporary takeaways from NATO are applied in our geostrategic region.”
Biography
GPCAPT Jeff Stephenson Biography
GPCAPT Stephenson has thirty-eight years’ full-time experience working within Defence Health. He has lived experience working as a contractor, Commonwealth Public Service member, periods of Continuous Full Time Service and Reserve Service.
He has deployed to East Timor, Bali, Banda Aceh Sumatra and the Middle East.
He is currently the:
• Chair of the ADF Medical Officer Professional & Continuing Development Committee;
• The Clinical Director of Primary Health Care for Air Force Health Reserves;
• A Regional Senior Aviation Medical Officer for the Institute of Aviation Medicine; and,
• The Senior Medical Advisor to RAAF Richmond.
He is a graduate of the Australian War College “Thinking Strategically” course and an observer member on the NATO Interallied Confederation of Reserve Medical Officers. He was selected to attend the Australian War College pilot course on “Strategy in the Australian Region”.
GPCAPT Stephenson’s current focus is on shaping Defence Health to align with the current geopolitical environment.
