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Recently, Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson from Russian occupation, opening up various strategic opportunities they can leverage against Russia’s ongoing invasion. Ukrainian forces can strategically redistribute HIMARS and long-range precision weaponry along the banks of the Dnipro River. Repositioning its weapons systems will allow Ukraine to strike all Russian defenses and logistical resupply systems established north of the Crimean peninsula. Ukrainian forces are disrupting Russian logistical systems near Crimea and across all occupied Ukrainian territories. They are attacking rail lines, cutting off access to resupply, and making it incredibly difficult for Russia to reposition their troops.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you a unique look into Ukrainian special operations during the Russian Invasion. General Hodges is joined by his friend and Retired US Major General Mike Repass. Major General Repass was the former Commanding General of Special Operations Command Europe, where he was responsible for developing and training special forces in Ukraine and other allied countries. Repass offers essential insights into how US training and preparation have contributed to Ukraine’s stunning military success and the robustness of its government coordination and leadership.
As nuclear tensions rise, the Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you a special episode. General Hodges continues his discussion with security expert Edward Lucas on Russia’s potential use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. The two remain confident that this possibility will not become a reality, but argue that Putin’s threats should be taken seriously.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the fifth episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. In this episode, General Hodges visits his friend, colleague, and security expert, Edward Lucas, in London to discuss the most critical updates on the war. General Hodges and Edward Lucas offer pertinent insights into Russia’s receding military occupation, the question of nuclear weapons, China’s perspective on Russia’s decision to wage a voluntary war, and the urgency and necessity of giving Ukraine the tools it needs to persevere in the face of Russia’s continued aggression.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you the fourth episode of our special series on the war in Ukraine. In this episode, General Hodges travels to Finland for an insightful conversation with Minna Alander. Minna is a Researcher at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. She focuses on the EU Council presidency and EU institutions, Finland, and other Northern EU member states. They offer insights into Finland’s troubled past with Russia during the Cold War, Finland’s special bond with Ukraine, and what Russia’s neighbors can learn from Finland’s pragmatic pessimism in the face of Russian aggression.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the third episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. Join General Hodges as he walks through what he believes to be a new phase of the war, the most recent updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive, and the path forward. We offer an inside look into Russia’s deteriorating situation, the Kremlin’s use of sham referendums and mass mobilization, the importance of Western resolve during the upcoming winter, and whether or not Russia will use a nuclear weapon.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the next episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. A lot has happened in the war since our last episode; join General Hodges as he expertly walks through the latest battlefield updates and what the Free World can expect to come next. We offer an inside look at how Ukraine succeeded in its most recent counteroffensive, the roots of Russian soldiers’ unwillingness to fight, Ukraine’s ability to wage an asymmetric war successfully, and what continued international support for Ukraine should look like.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, will offer strategic analysis in a short-video of Russia’s war against Ukraine. His insights include the role that morale and logistics play during wartime, the strong strategic position Ukraine currently finds itself in, and the urgency of supplying additional western weapons to help Ukraine maintain its momentum.
Hodges highlights four important strategic considerations Russia made in advance of their invasion that now appear to be miscalculations. As a result, he believes that by the end of 2022, Ukrainian forces will push the Russian military back to the 23 February line.
Recently, Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson from Russian occupation, opening up various strategic opportunities they can leverage against Russia’s ongoing invasion. Ukrainian forces can strategically redistribute HIMARS and long-range precision weaponry along the banks of the Dnipro River. Repositioning its weapons systems will allow Ukraine to strike all Russian defenses and logistical resupply systems established north of the Crimean peninsula. Ukrainian forces are disrupting Russian logistical systems near Crimea and across all occupied Ukrainian territories. They are attacking rail lines, cutting off access to resupply, and making it incredibly difficult for Russia to reposition their troops.
While Ukrainian armed forces liberate large swaths of occupied territory, Russia continues to commit war crimes and murder civilians indiscriminately. The Russians are losing in every aspect of this war, which is why they bombard Ukrainian cities with missiles. These strikes deliver calculated devastation courtesy of Russia and Vladimir Putin. They target Ukraine’s power grid to starve civilians of warmth, clean water, and other necessities.
The longer Russia does this, the more Ukrainian civilians will die. But Ukrainians will not stop until they restore sovereignty to all of their lands, and the West can help them achieve that. Hodges makes a clear call on Western leaders to provide ATACMS missiles to Ukraine. ATACMS missiles have a tactical range of 300 kilometers and would allow Ukraine to strike critical Russian military infrastructure without waiting for Russian troops to inch closer to Ukrainian cities.
As the war rages on, international support from Ukraine’s western allies has never been more critical. In Germany, over 60 percent of the public favors continued support for Ukraine by sending military and other forms of aid. But German security expert Jessica Berlin points out that while German citizens often advocate for aid, German government officials lack the moral courage to speak up for it. For almost three decades, Germany has had friendly relations with Russia. Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is no exception.
Scholz and Steinmeier have advocated for closer ties to Russia over the years, with Steinmeier admitting that he misdiagnosed how dangerous Russia could become as an international actor. Berlin points out the importance of Steinmeier’s role as a leader and as a moral voice. Germany needs moral courage now more than ever from its state officials so that Ukraine can receive the adequate support they need to win. Ukraine can survive this war only through the support of Western nations and the moral fortitude of leaders who benefit from the freedom and democratic values Ukraine is fighting so desperately to maintain.
General Hodges reminds us of something that often gets lost in geopolitics: this war is about human beings. As winter approaches, millions of Ukrainians remain at the mercy of a harsh environment, precarious living conditions, and the constant threat of obliteration from a Russian missile. The need for solidarity and continued military aid amongst western democracies cannot be understated. Maintaining pressure against Putin will result in better lives and a better world for those who value freedom and democracy everywhere.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you a unique look into Ukrainian special operations during the Russian Invasion. General Hodges is joined by his friend and Retired US Major General Mike Repass. Major General Repass was the former Commanding General of Special Operations Command Europe, where he was responsible for developing and training special forces in Ukraine and other allied countries. Repass offers essential insights into how US training and preparation have contributed to Ukraine’s stunning military success and the robustness of its government coordination and leadership.
General Repass helps explain the genealogy of Ukraine’s special forces. Some reside under the Ministry of Defense under the Special Operations Command, such as the Special Operations Capable Force known as “the GUR.” GUR conducts intelligence-driven operations. Next, there are special forces units operating under the Ministry of Interior, known as SBU Alpha. SBU Alpha is the successor to the KGB, the central security apparatus in the former Soviet Union. This SBU variant of Ukraine’s Special Forces is equivalent to the FBI in the United States, with the addition of a formidable paramilitary force.
General Repass speaks about his involvement with NATO and its role in training Ukrainian special forces, stating that NATO’s programming has been focused within the Ministry of Defense under its Special Operations Command. Nations such as the US, UK, Poland, and Lithuania coordinate exercises through an organizational and logistics structure known as the Multinational Special Forces Operations Advisory Team (MSAT). Other multinational efforts, such as the Joint Multinational Training Group Ukraine, an effort General Hodges was directly involved in, played an important role in strengthening Ukraine’s military.
General Hodges has always sensed that the Russian rear is insecure, specifically in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Although these oblasts are under Russian control, the idea that the entire population supports the Russian military is wholly fabricated. General Repass notes that in addition to internal security risks, Russian Special Forces, also known as “Spetsnaz,” have failed to live up to the capabilities that Ukrainian forces have achieved.
General Repass gives us an idea of the widespread nature of small resistance movements within Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. He specifically points to Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv, where resistance forces were chipping away at railroad bridges, crossing points, and footbridges––all crucial points on Russia’s logistics line. President Zelensky has recognized the value that these smaller resistance movements have had on Ukraine’s ability to wage a successful asymmetric war and has even called on many of them to assist Ukrainian forces in certain offensive operations.
As nuclear tensions rise, the Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you a special episode. General Hodges continues his discussion with security expert Edward Lucas on Russia’s potential use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. The two remain confident that this possibility will not become a reality, but argue that Putin’s threats should be taken seriously.
Hodges and Lucas articulate their skepticism about the validity of Putin’s willingness to use nuclear weapons. There would be pushback within Russia over a decision to use nuclear weapons, and there would likely be interference from China and the West. Ultimately, they find no clear and compelling case for Putin to use nuclear weapons. Pointing to nuclear weapons as a deterrent against an attack on the Russian homeland by a nuclear-armed adversary, they determine that their use has only downsides in Ukraine.
Lucas notes that the response from the international community to a Russian nuclear attack would be enormous. He clarifies that using nuclear weapons is not as easy as Hollywood would have us believe. If Russia were to take this route, he estimates it would destroy Russian relations with China and India. Furthermore, it would make Russia an international pariah state beyond even North Korea.
Hodges concludes that the United States would have to react if Russia were to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. He notes that the Biden administration has clarified the devastating consequences of such actions. A US reprisal could have a catastrophic effect on the Russian Black Sea fleet, Russian forces, and other Russian capabilities inside Ukraine. They note in unison that there is no battlefield advantage to using nuclear weapons under the circumstances of the war and that it would furthermore have no effect on Ukrainian resolve.
Hodges and Lucas agree that the West is overestimating the risk of potential Russian escalation to the detriment of Ukrainian victory. Thus far, they describe the West’s course of action as “too little, too late.” If the West had clarified its willingness to support Ukraine a year ago, they surmise that Russia would never have invaded in the first place.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the fifth episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. In this episode, General Hodges visits his friend, colleague, and security expert, Edward Lucas, in London to discuss the most critical updates on the war. General Hodges and Edward Lucas offer pertinent insights into Russia’s receding military occupation, the question of nuclear weapons, China’s perspective on Russia’s decision to wage a voluntary war, and the urgency and necessity of giving Ukraine the tools it needs to persevere in the face of Russia’s continued aggression.
The Ukrainian military has made tremendous progress since the beginning of the Russian invasion. General Hodges reports that the Russian army and navy continue to fail on the battlefield and the Black Sea. Using advanced weaponry such as air and maritime drones, Ukrainians struck the Russian Navy in Sevastopol, dealing a heavy blow to the Black Sea fleet. Ukraine’s military success depends on its tremendous ability to leverage technology and cunning strategy to surprise Russians at every turn, thereby seizing the momentum in an asymmetric war.
Of course, the Kremlin has painted Ukraine’s recent strikes in defense of its nation as the actions of terrorists hell-bent on murdering Russians. This accusation is as ironic as it is devastatingly tragic. General Hodges reminds us of the constant state of fear that Ukrainian civilians live under as they endure a consistent rhythm of drone bombardments from the Russian aggressors. He notes that some villages suffered nine or ten times as much damage in a single week as the recent attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet. It is a war crime to target civilian infrastructure that does not have direct military consideration. In Kherson, the Russian military has effectively kidnapped thousands of Ukrainian men, women, and children, forcibly transporting them into Russian territory.
General Hodges outlines what current support should look like in the war. For Hodges, it’s simple: give Ukraine the necessary tools to win the war. Hodges advocates for a policy change allowing the US to provide HIMARS missile systems that fire ATACMS missiles that can travel almost 300 kilometers. With these weapons systems in their arsenal, the Ukrainian military could hit Russian airfields, ammunition storage sites, and naval bases in Crimea.
Some worry that supplying additional weapons to Ukraine could lead to Russia responding with a nuclear attack. Security expert Edward Lucas points out that the discourse surrounding it has little to do with nuclear weapons and everything to do with nerves. Lucas explains the rationale of nuclear weapons, stating that they are not a helpful method to win a war. Instead, these weapons act as deterrents to disincentivize dangerous escalation and diminish the threat of attack. In the end, Lucas believes their use would prove detrimental to Russia. The use of nuclear weapons would compel nations like China to condemn Russia and significantly decrease its strategic capabilities while relegating Russia to a pariah status like North Korea.
Lucas argues that Ukraine’s allies and supporters must stand up to Putin’s nuclear blackmail and commit themselves to Ukraine’s complete victory by providing them with the tools to achieve it. General Hodges remains confident that Ukraine will push Russia back to the 23 February line and liberate Crimea by the end of next year’s summer. Hodges reiterates that war is a test of will and emphasizes the importance of wartime resolve to ensure victory. Thankfully, if there is one thing the Ukrainians are in no short supply of, it is their will to persevere.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you the fourth episode of our special series on the war in Ukraine. In this episode, General Hodges travels to Finland for an insightful conversation with Minna Alander. Minna is a Researcher at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. She focuses on the EU Council presidency and EU institutions, Finland, and other Northern EU member states. They offer insights into Finland’s troubled past with Russia during the Cold War, Finland’s special bond with Ukraine, and what Russia’s neighbors can learn from Finland’s pragmatic pessimism in the face of Russian aggression.
After Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, the escalation of hostile Russian behavior towards its neighbors was patently evident. Unfortunately, Ukraine is not the only neighbor Russia has attempted to consume. For many Nordic countries that border Russia, like Ukraine, this was a massive wake-up call. Nations like Finland have no illusions about their geographic reality, its border hugging the Russian motherland. Finnish cautiousness of Russia dates back to the Soviet Union when Russia attempted to invade Finland in November 1939 during what is known as the Winter War. Fortunately, Russia’s attempted conquest failed, resulting in a Finnish culture and domestic security policy defined by what Alander calls “pragmatic pessimism.”
Alander explains that pragmatic pessimism was ingrained into Finnish culture after their taste of Russian hospitality during the Cold War. Today, Finland’s greatest strength is its “whole society approach” towards security. Finland’s ability to rapidly mobilize troops if there is a threat to its territorial integrity emulates this system well. If this threat were ever to become true, almost 200,000 talented men and women would be mobilized at a moment’s notice and ready to fight on the field.
The importance of national security permeates the lives of everyday Finns. As Minna explains, this attitude is built into all parts of life, from critical infrastructure and business to government and administration. Underneath Helsinki, hidden from the bustle of ordinary life, lies critical civil infrastructure in the form of tunnel systems designed to provide shelter to over 900,000 people. Keep in mind Helsinki is only a city of 600,000. Bridges throughout the nation are intended to be detonated to obstruct enemy movement. The critical point of these precautions is that if or when something like the Russian invasion of Ukraine happens on Finnish soil, there will be no surprises because they will be prepared.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, General Hodges notes the desperation of the Kremlin in their decisions to continually draw out their invasion. Even as troops prepare to evacuate Kherson, the Kremlin has resorted to deploying Iranian drones. These drones constantly bomb Ukrainian cities, murder civilians, and strike power facilities, leaving thousands without power during the onset of the Winter. Russia will continue to try and exhaust the spirit of Ukraine. Hodges calls on the West to hold steadfast in this fight for freedom and continue to deliver to Ukrainians everything they need to finish the job. As Russia failed to break the will of the Finnish in 1939, so too will they fail in Ukraine.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the third episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. Join General Hodges as he walks through what he believes to be a new phase of the war, the most recent updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive, and the path forward. We offer an inside look into Russia’s deteriorating situation, the Kremlin’s use of sham referendums and mass mobilization, the importance of Western resolve during the upcoming winter, and whether or not Russia will use a nuclear weapon.
The Kremlin recognizes that the situation in Ukraine is deteriorating for them. General Hodges states that a lack of trust within Russia and severe corruption within its Ministry of Defense defines this new phase in the war. He notes two recent events that help identify the Kremlin’s worsening situation. First is the incoherent and sloppy call for the partial mobilization of Russian civilians. The second event is the occurrence of sham referendums and attempted illegal annexations of the four oblasts, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kherson. Both actions violated international law.
The Russian Ministry of Defense’s mobilization order was uncoordinated and poorly orchestrated. Instead of marshaling a patriotic and coherent response from its civilians, thousands of fleeing men met the call for mobilization to desperately avoid conscription. On Russia’s forceful and illegitimate land grabs, numerous heads of state, leaders of international organizations, and the UN Secretary-General have all declared the referendums a sham and refuse to recognize the results.
These referendums and the subsequent annexation of Ukrainian territory are used to explain the defense of stolen territory and to justify the necessity of the Kremlin’s partial mobilization. Russia’s sham referenda and partial mobilization indicate that the Kremlin does not care for any real form of democracy, and that Putin is desperately trying to hold on to his regime and salvage the situation .
The annexation of Ukrainian territory has raised fears of Russia using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, as any attack on the Russian motherland could be used as a pretext for a nuclear strike. General Hodges believes this is unlikely, as using a tactical nuclear weapon would not offer Russia a plan with strategic options and would only offer downsides. For a nuclear strike to be beneficial for Russia, it would have to create an opportunity for Russian troops to move through a gap created by the nuclear weapon. Russia does not have the forces necessary for this.
Furthermore, the Kremlin knows they cannot use nuclear weapons without forcing the United States to respond proportionally. This response could range from the destruction of vital Russian Federation forces, such as destroying the Black Sea Fleet or even attacking the Russian navy base in Tartus in Syria. However, while Putin may be evil, he and the Kremlin are not suicidal. Therefore, Hodges believes that Russia will not resort to a nuclear option.
Ukrainian forces continue to make steady progress in the country’s southern and eastern territories. Having recently recaptured the city of Lyman, Ukrainian troops continue to repel Russian forces and gain irreversible momentum with each city they liberate. Hodges is confident that Ukrainian forces will push Russian troops back to the lines on February 23rd, 2022, and that by the summer of 2023, Ukraine will regain control of the Crimean Peninsula. Winter is nearly here, and as energy prices increase across the globe, it will be a harsh one. However, General Hodges argues that this sacrifice is necessary and that the West must maintain its support for Ukraine this winter and allow them to continue their counteroffensive and retake control of their land from the grip of Russian tyranny.
The Renew Democracy Initiative brings you the next episode of our video series on the war in Ukraine in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges. A lot has happened in the war since our last episode; join General Hodges as he expertly walks through the latest battlefield updates and what the Free World can expect to come next. We offer an inside look at how Ukraine succeeded in its most recent counteroffensive, the roots of Russian soldiers’ unwillingness to fight, Ukraine’s ability to wage an asymmetric war successfully, and what continued international support for Ukraine should look like.
The Ukrainian military has made its most significant breakthrough since successfully defending Kyiv during the start of the war by announcing a southern counteroffensive in August in the city of Kherson and surprising the Russians by launching a northern attack. While Ukrainians openly discussed a southern offensive, they carefully mustered troops in the North, catching the Russians by surprise. This was done through calculated and disciplined communications within the ranks of Ukrainians to ensure operational security, allowing Ukraine to recapture strategically important northern cities Balakliya, Kupyansk, and Izyum.
Ukraine’s stunning success has not only illuminated its resolve and strategic cunning, but it has also exposed the Russian military’s lack of will. General Ben comments on the disorganization of the retreating Russian troops, exhibited by the prevalence of Russian equipment, weapons, and garbage left behind in previously captured territories. He states that this display demonstrates a severe lack of discipline, reflecting that Russian soldiers are unprepared to fight. However, the Russian army doesn’t just lack discipline, they lack numbers as well. Hodges says they are struggling with recruitment and mass mobilization to gather the necessary troops to continue fighting and replenish their ranks. On the other hand, Ukrainians are in no short supply of motivated soldiers, eager to push out the occupiers.
Ukraine is winning an asymmetric war. Not only are Russian forces failing on land in the northeast, but they are also failing at sea, as Hodges comments on the state of the Russian navy. The Black Sea fleet of the Russian navy is hiding behind Crimea. The fleet will not even attempt to go near the coastline, as they fear Ukraine’s ability to strike them down using precision missiles and drones. The Russian navy is not in this fight, and if they continue to hide, they will soon be destroyed.
General Hodges argues that western sanctions are working. Russia is struggling to access crucial precision weaponry and components to operate them. They have even turned to authoritarian partners such as North Korea for artillery ammunition. Hodges believes the combined impact of sanctions on the Russian population and substantial battlefield losses over the next two to three months will increase the pressure on the Kremlin. Ukrainian victory is inevitable if Western nations can stick together, deliver on their promises, and maintain sanctions.
Hodges knows that this will not be an easy task. Winter is coming, and many Western citizens will feel the harmful effects of sanctions and rising energy costs. But he reminds us that this war is about more than economics. It is about stopping Russia from harming its neighbors. It is about the worldwide battle between democracy and autocracy. The Free World must be willing to show dictators worldwide that we will stand our ground in the face of personal costs. Only then can we help Ukraine achieve victory against the Russian threat.
The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, will offer strategic analysis in a short-video of Russia’s war against Ukraine. His insights include the role that morale and logistics play during wartime, the strong strategic position Ukraine currently finds itself in, and the urgency of supplying additional western weapons to help Ukraine maintain its momentum.
Hodges highlights four important strategic considerations Russia made in advance of their invasion that now appear to be miscalculations. As a result, he believes that by the end of 2022, Ukrainian forces will push the Russian military back to the 23 February line.
These miscalculations include, first, Russia’s overconfidence in their force advantage. Russia believed the difference between its military capability and Ukraine’s was large enough to enable a swift victory like similar military operations in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Second, Putin was confident that he could isolate Ukraine from the support of third parties like Europe and the US, a calculation which appears to have been misguided as more money, weapons, and supplies pour into Ukraine from its Western allies. Third, Russian experts believed that the territory gained in Ukraine would be worth the costs of war and the pain of economic sanctions. High casualties and a crippled economy tell a different story. Lastly, Russia thought that war would destroy Ukraine as a democracy and break apart NATO unity in the face of the Russian threat. In fact, it has strengthened Ukraine’s democratic national identity and encouraged international support for NATO.
In wartime, momentum matters as it influences everything from soldier morale to army logistics. And the single most important conclusion that Hodges has drawn is that Ukraine has seized the momentum, and with continued Western support, he believes that Russian defeat is inevitable. With its logistics in disarray, countless military units in tatters, and swiftly running low on advanced weaponry, Russia cannot launch a new offensive, and even more concerningly for the Kremlin, they appear to be increasingly unable to protect their rear. Ukrainians have had incredible success striking strategic locations like airfields and ammunition storage sites well behind Russian lines. Meanwhile, international sanctions have limited Russia’s access to precision weaponry and the raw materials necessary to maintain a modern army. And while Ukraine does have some logistical struggles of its own, new supplies of weapons and spare parts from Western Allies have increased the capacity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the same time as the capacity of the Russian army has begun to degrade.
With respect to soldier morale, the difference could not be more stark. There is no dearth of Ukrainians looking to defend their nation or support their armed forces. On the other hand, the Kremlin must balance military recruitment with an effort to downplay the reality of its failure on the frontlines of a conflict it still refuses to call a “war.” Putin could not call a mass mobilization without risking his popularity among the Russian people and so has resorted to recruiting minorities living on the fringes of Russian society and or even prisoners. As a result, Russian soldiers are not particularly motivated to fight, with some going so far as to shoot themselves in the leg in order to leave the battlefield and collect a payout. Hodges’s assessment is that the Russian army is bankrupt, both logistically and in spirit.
Hodges believes that the future of Ukraine will not only be determined by a test of will within Ukraine and its people, but also by a test of will amongst Western democracies. Ukraine’s freedom will in large part depend on the democratic world’s continued support. The war in Ukraine will have far-reaching effects ranging from Taiwan to the rise of autocracy, meaning it is a frontline that democracies cannot afford to lose. As long as domestic disputes don’t distract us from Ukraine’s fight for democracy and self-determination, any chance of Russian victory will be eliminated.
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