War with Russia will continue for several more years - expert Liam Collins

The Patriot air-defense system will start operating in Ukraine in February at the earliest, says career Special Forces officer Liam Collins. Although the Kremlin threatens an escalation, Ukraine should take it as just words.

“Russia has shown they cannot escalate the conflict, they have all their forces in, they have been fighting ineffectively till these days, there is no way for them to escalate this beyond what they're doing other things then just try shooting missiles at civilians. It doesn't escalate the tactical fight. Russia is incapable of employing more forces effectively within Ukraine. It's just propaganda by Russia. They don’t have the ability, they would do more and fight more effectively, they would take Ukraine if they could,” the retired US Army colonel said.

As to his personal outlook for the war's end, Col. Liam Collins believes the fight is far from being over.

“This is gonna be a long drawn out fight until territory is liberated. But Ukraine is demonstrating already that they can win this war. It's just a matter of time and part of it depends on continuing supply from the West, because they have a smaller military, they have to replace their losses. Ukraine has been demonstrating over the last 10 months, over the first defense of Kyiv they can win this, it's just a matter of time and commitment by Ukraine and by its supporters.

The the former director of the Modern War Institute does not agree with Ben Hodges, the former commanding general of the US Army in Europe, who says Ukraine can liberate Crimea till the end of summer 2023

“It's going to take longer than that, especially with Crimea. I think it's going to take several years to liberate everything,” Collins concluded.

Watch the full interview to get more information on the Putin’s nuclear threats, his readiness to negotiate and the outcome of the Russian invasion of Ukraine