American General Hodges assesses Russian ability to seize initiative on the battlefield

Former commander of the US Forces in Europe, Ben Hodges, said this in the interview with NV.

According to him, all that the Russian Federation was capable of during nine years of war - to occupy 10-15% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea.

"I think it's very important to be in the right context. You know, I like to keep a map with me when we talk about Ukraine and see where we are now, after almost nine years of war, in which Russia had every possible advantage. And all they were able to do was occupy the eastern 10-15% of the territory of Ukraine, including Crimea, and that's all they were capable of," Hodges emphasized.

He stressed that even capture of Soledar and Bakhmut in the Donetsk region will not lead to a change in situation at the front.

"Now, after months of fighting near Bakhmut, they seem to be taking this small town of Soledar after all, continuing to fight around Bakhmut and losing thousands of people and unable to push Ukrainian soldiers out of there. Even if they do, then what? If we move away from the emotional component, it will not lead to anything important for the Russian army. They do not have subversive forces there, and there are no prospects for any breakthrough that they could make," Hodges is convinced.

• On January 21, Ben Hodges said that Ukraine will liberate occupied Crimea by the end of summer if Western partners provide Ukrainian Armed Forces with necessary weapons and long-range missiles.