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Frontline | The War in Ukraine and Global Security: 'The Kremlin knows this is not sustainable' as Putin's losses mount in Ukraine | Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges Times Radio 836K subscribers 5-14-2024 3:00 p.m. 30:32 Minutes "I don't think that they can maintain their industry and an army of this size that they need, given the casualties they're suffering." Russian manpower shortages because of the war in Ukraine are not sustainable, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges tells Frontline on #timesradio 15,449 views 2 hours ago

Strikes on Russian oil refineries have a significant impact on Russia’s ability to conduct warfare. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Commander of U.S. Forces Europe in 2014-17, stated this during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum. “Of course, attacks on oil refineries have a significant impact. Russia is less able to pay for this war, and it also deprives it of the necessary fuel to continue hostilities. I would recommend ignoring the calls for an end to such attacks.” The Lieutenant General emphasized that sanctions against Russia need to be strengthened. He also added that 2024 will be the year of...

Drone attacks on Russian territory have become an almost daily occurrence in recent weeks.... Hodges, who has been one of Kyiv's most vocal advocates in the U.S., said in an interview on Monday that the growing drone threat "is a part of the counteroffensive" that is currently raging in southeastern Ukraine. There, Ukrainian troops are pushing into Russian fortified lines, hoping to precipitate a defensive collapse.... "You've got what I would call 'strategic bombing,'" he added. The campaign has seen "drone strikes that have hit Moscow several nights in a row as well as other places throughout Russia, by Ukrainian...

The former commanding US general in Europe, Ben Hodges, has told DW that the West should provide Kyiv with fighter jets. He said that providing Ukraine with the planes could lead to a victory for Kyiv within the year. The former commanding general of the United States Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, said that Ukraine could achieve a quick victory if the West provided swift help with fighter jets. He predicted that the defeat of Russia could otherwise take three to five years, given the current level of Western support. What the former general said "The sooner we deliver them...

The war in Ukraine is poised to become even more violent this year with a major Russian offensive expected and more advanced Western-made weapons pouring in to bolster Ukrainian forces. Along these lines, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg recently warned that the war has entered a "decisive phase." This new stage of the war could bring the fight to a territory vital to Russia's military capabilities in Ukraine and cherished by Russian President Vladimir Putin: Crimea. The Black Sea peninsula, which was invaded by Russian forces and illegally annexed by Putin in 2014, served as a launchpad for Russia's invasion last...

But Hodges is among military experts who believe that reclaiming Crimea is required for Ukraine's long-term survival. He told Britain's Channel 4 News last Wednesday that Crimea is the "decisive terrain" and that it should be isolated "with long range precision weapons." In his view, these would include F-16 jets and ATACMs (Army Tactical Missile Systems) and armed drones, which can "reach beyond the current HIMARS being used that could isolate Crimea" and "make Crimea untenable." The fate of Crimea as a deciding factor in the war in Ukraine continues to be debated amid speculation over whether it would be...

Ben Hodges tells DW he remains optimistic of Ukraine's prospects for victory over the next 12 months. Speaking to Tim Sebastian for a Conflict Zone special, the former US Army Europe commander said it might be “too early to plan a victory parade" but Ukraine had made “irreversible gains.” Hodges also said he expected Ukrainian forces to retake Crimea from Russia in 2023. Moscow illegally annexed the territory in 2014. Let us know what you think in the comments below and thanks for watching.

Award-winning investigative journalist and interviewer Trish Wood has been blowing up conventional wisdom for decades. A television and radio trailblazer, she’s renowned for chasing organized crime bosses through Tokyo, exposing crooked religious cranks, dodging drunken teens with guns at checkpoints in war-torn Burundi, and setting free innocent men. Trish’s intrepid reporting landed exclusive guests and won her fans, accolades and occasionally, critics. Now, she is bringing to a podcast her electric interviewing style, hard-won wisdom and wicked humour, crushing agenda-driven overload with critical thinking. Trish’s deep empathy for the downtrodden but fearless questioning of the powerful creates profound moments. Neither...

European natural gas inventories rose by +76 BCF over past 7 days. EU nat gas storage 85% full. Current inventories at 3243 BCF. 20.9% higher than 1 year ago. EU goal is at least 80% full by Nov 1st for winter. Current projection is for EU to reach 92% by Nov 1st.