He said he believes Russian forces won’t be able to capture Kyiv the Ukrainian capital. This is due to the sheer size of the city and the resistance being built by the citizens of Ukraine.
Hodges stated that he saw “lots of destruction and fighting” around Kyiv. However, he said the capital “will never fall” and “the Russians will not be in a position to take it”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initial strategy when he invaded Ukraine — to rapidly storm major cities, expel pro-Western President Volodymyr Zilensky and install a Russian-friendly replacement — “has failed,” Hodges stated.
He observed that Russia’s military used “an attrition strategy” to achieve the same goal. He also acknowledged that constant rocket fire on Ukraine’s capitals had “helped to make up for their poor plan, terrible logistics, inability conduct effective joint operations at an operational level and their poor estimations of Ukrainian fighting power.”
Hodges stated that they don’t believe they can maintain this “overwhelming” firepower as the logistical challenges worsen and the logistics for Ukraine improve. “I don’t believe they have the manpower or logistics to execute this approach effectively.
On Monday, a senior U.S. defense officer told reporters that almost 100% of the Russian combat force that was amassed at Ukraine’s border in the weeks prior to the invasion had been transferred inside the country. According to the official, more than 625 Russian missiles were launched in the eleven days of fighting. They appear to be using long-range strikes to compensate for the loss of ground movement or air superiority.
Some military leaders from allies are also suggesting that the Russians may be able to resist the Ukrainian advances.
“I believe we have seen a Russian invasion that isn’t going well. “I think we’re also witnessing a remarkable resistance from Ukraine, both its Armed Forces and its People,” Admiral Sir Tony Radakin of the U.K. Defense Staff, told BBC News Sunday. “We know that some of Russia’s leading elements have been destroyed by the Ukrainian response.
Hodges, a former U.S. commander, stated that Putin’s tactics could increase pressure not only from outside countries but also from within his country.
Hodges stated that “the great unknown” is whether the Russian population will continue supporting this project once they have an understanding of what’s actually going on. “And I’m certain they’ll start to understand it soon despite Putin’s ban on news/social media.”
