December 6, 2021 – Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former U.S. Army Europe Commander, discusses the massing of Russian troops on the Ukraine border and how the U.S. and NATO are responding.
January 23, 2022 – Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, explains to CBS Mornings that, “the Russian way of war has always included lots of artillery, lots of long-range rockets,” Hodges said. “And so, I think if there’s a new offensive, we’re going to see an awful lot of serious lethal artillery and rocket fire. A series of cyber strikes designed to neutralize the decision-making authority, so that the president and the head of the general staff can’t understand exactly what’s happening. That’s going to be the opening gambit.”
February 5, 2022 – “What the Russians are doing is not just preparing for a conventional attack, but also they are trying to ruin Ukraine’s economy and cause the collapse of his Zelensky’s government,” former commander of US Army Europe Ben Hodges describes to msnbc Lindsey Reiser the effects of Russian deployments against Ukraine.
February 10, 2022 – “I would say it is almost for certain that there will be a new Russian attack,” Former commander of US Army Europe Ben Hodges speaks to SkyNews Sarah-Jane Mee about the potential for a serious incident to occur between Russian and NATO forces in the Black Sea as military activity intensifies in eastern Europe.
February 22, 2022 – Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former Commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, joins ‘Squawk on the Street’ to discuss Russian plans to invade Ukraine, why the resilience of international populations will be important and more.
March 9, 2022 – “The Ukrainians have a never-ending resource called heart, a will to defend their own country, and the Russian invaders that are murdering innocent civilians don’t have that,” Ben Hodges speaks to CBS Mornings about Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian forces so far, what other assistance nations can provide to Ukraine, and why we should advocate for a no-fly zone.
August 23, 2022 – “The Russians are exhausted. Their logistics system is exhausted. There’s nothing they can do except continue launching artillery against civilian targets. Even that has dropped off.” Retired General Ben Hodges says a window has opened for Ukraine to repel Russia. Times Radio brings you the latest breaking news, expert analysis and well-informed discussion on the biggest stories of the day.
September 11, 2022 – “We were not prepared for the collapse of the Soviet Union. We need to be prepared for the collapse of Russia.” Ukraine’s counter offensive could result in the Russian Federation collapsing, says General Ben Hodges.
September 13, 2022 – The Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professorship at UNC-Chapel Hill presents Russia’s War in Ukraine: The Evolving Military & Strategic Situation. Dr. Klaus Larres and a distinguished expert discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the military strategies being employed on both sides of the battlefield, and the global implications of the conflict. This Krasno Global Event features insightful commentary and remarks from Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges (Former Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe; presently Senior Adviser, Human Rights First).
September 19, 2022 – Ben Hodges, former commander of US forces in Europe, tells DW News there’s “irreversible momentum” for Ukraine in the war with Russia. “In my view, the defeat of Russia, Ukrainian victory, which means total restoration of all of its sovereign territory, including Crimea, is inevitable.”
September 19, 2022 – 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. 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.
October 8, 2022 – Last week we talked about Russian mobilization and what it might mean for Russian force generation this year and next – and in particular, I noted the fact that it was possible that the problems were resolved and new combat power was generated. In order to assess what impact that may have on the course of the war though Winter and into 2023, it’s important to consider the Ukrainian side of the equation. The Ukrainians have been clear on their ambitions for next year, and set out what they believe their force requirements to be. So the question becomes – what are those requirements and can they meet them. In this episode, I explore that question, augmented by excerpts from an interview with the former commander of the US Army in Europe – LTG Ben Hodges (Ret).
November 1, 2022 – “I believe that Ukraine will have liberated Crimea by the summer.” The Ukrainian soldiers and the Ukrainian people have the superior will. Putin is set to lose everything he has gained since 2014, General Ben Hodges tells Times Radio.
November 9, 2022 – Ukraine could force Russian forces out of the occupied territory of Crimea in a hammer blow to Vladimir Putin, according to an ex-US General. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges told The Sun Online how the Ukrainians are gathering “irreversible momentum” as they scythe through territory which was seized early in the war by Putin. With the Russians facing defeat after defeat across the frontline, they are being forced to prop up their dwindling military with hastily mobilized conscripts who are little more than cannon fodder. General Hodges believes the Kremlin knows the situation is looking grim, so they are desperately trading “bodies for time” as they hope both the West and Ukraine succumb to war fatigue. But against the highly motivated Ukrainian forces, the pendulum of the conflict will continue to swing away from Putin.
Losing control of Crimea would be an absolute hammer blow to an already weak Putin after he illegally seized the territory back in 2014. Widely condemned on the world stage, Vlad moved in mysterious unmarked soldiers to expel the Ukrainian authorities before setting up a sham referendum to force the territory to join Russia. Crimea was then joined by Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia this year as annexed territory – but already the Ukrainians are pushing back through and reclaiming them. General Hodges told The Sun Online “all roads lead to Crimea” as he boldly predicted the Ukrainians will have taken it back by summer 2023. Vlad faces utter humiliation if he ends up with the war ending with him actually losing ground to Ukraine.
November 9, 2022 – 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.
November 23, 2022 – “There’s going to be a lot of really tough power struggles in Russia over the next six months.” Russia’s military failure could see Russia turn on Putin if he mobilizes more soldiers, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges tells Chief Political Commentator Lucy Fisher.
December 2, 2022 – Nine months into the war in Ukraine, Russia’s military is virtually at a standstill, with the resistance of Ukraine’s armed forces shattering the illusion of Russian military might. Former commander of the US Army in Europe, Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges spoke to Forces News about the five key lessons that he has learned from the Ukrainian counter-offensive.
December 12, 2022 – Former commander of the US Army in Europe, General Ben Hodges, shared whether attacks on Russian military airfields are a turning point in the war, which army is more prepared for winter, as well as when Ukraine will liberate Crimea.
December 13, 2022 – Spotlight is a speaker series from Spirit of America featuring leaders in world affairs and national security. At this event, Spirit of America CEO Jim Hake moderated a conversation with Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, US Army, Retired.
December 16, 2022 – Ben Hodges warns “Putin will be utterly humiliated.” This will shock the whole world.
December 28, 2022 – What to expect from the Russian war in Ukraine? The conflict has brought death and destruction and shattered European stability. Even before the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Conflict Zone began conducting interviews with Western, Russian and Ukrainian officials, experts, journalists, opposition figures, and even former Putin confidants. Now as we look to 2023 we examine what was said, what happened, and what to expect in the coming year.
00:00 Intro
00:25 Nina Khrushcheva on Putin’s willingness to take everyone down with him
00:36 Boris Bondarev on Putin’s blackmailing
00:48 Gen (ret) Richard Shirreff on nuclear threats
01:00 NATO Secretary General on risk of letting Putin win
01:30 Tim Sebastian on beginning of war, February 24, 2022
02:17 Fyodor Lukyanov on invasion risk (from 13 FEB 22)
02:47 Boris Bondarev on how Kremlin misinforms itself
03:14 Nina Khrushcheva on Russian disinformation and lies
03:37 Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call for Western support
04:03 Lesia Vasylenko on Ukrainian response to war
04:30 Russian advance on Kyiv grinds to halt
04:43 Ihor Zhovkva on nuclear threat
05:23 Boris Bondarev on risk of World War Three
05:53 Jens Stoltenberg on nuclear blackmail
06:25 NATO response to war in Ukraine
06:42 Richard Shirreff on effective deterrence
07:16 Radoslaw Sikorski on NATO relevance & Polish warnings
08:01 Is Hungary a weak link?
08:33 Zoltan Kovacs on Budapest aims in war
08:49 Russian domestic response
08:57 Ekaterina Kotrikadze on avoiding the topic
09:36 Russian opposition to war
10:00 Andrei Soldatov on Russian elites
10:55 Putin’s grip on power
11:35 Russian annexations of Ukrainian territory
12:13 Lt Gen (ret) Ben Hodges on war in 2023
13:17 Former US Army Europe commander on post-conflict relations with Russia
13:54 Andre Fedorov on future nuclear stability
14:35 Ukrainian offensives & Russian infrastructure strikes
December 30, 2022 – Alarm in Kremlin. Russian army is hanging by a thin thread. Huge setback for Putin. Russia is doomed. – Ben Hodges
January 2, 2023 – 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.
0:00 Welcome to Ben Hodges
0:14 NATO strategic objectives in Ukraine war
0:40 Restoration of sovereignty in Crimea and return of deportees
1:14 Concern about escalation, Western concerns about Russian defeat and implications with China
1:44 Divergence with Ukraine and Chancellor Olaf Scholz and pre-war peace order
2:05 Business as usual with Kremlin?
2:39 Future of Russian Federation
3:17 Future of rules-based international order
3:30 Future of Ukrainian economy, return of refugees and food exports to Africa and Asia
4:05 ICC investigations of Kremlin officials for genocide and war crimes
5:22 Reparations and specter of world wars
5:53 Polish reparations claim against Germany
6:15 Continued Western support for Ukraine for how long?
6:35 Sustained land combat: ammunition, casualties, vehicles and aircraft losses
7:15 US Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine
7:50 Congressional support for Biden’s Ukraine policy
8:30 Is war between Russia and West unavoidable?
8:54 President Zelenskyy and Western weapons and sanctions
10:10 Ben Hodges’ assessment of war by end of 2023
11:14 War as a test of wills and logistics
11:45 Lines of communication, main supply routes, and the Kerch Bridge
January 2, 2023 – Ben Hodges – Putin is delusional, historic Russian humiliation will surprise many.
January 7, 2023 – Ben Hodges – Russia is at point of no return – mutiny in Russian army – huge setback for Putin
January 20, 2023 – In Washington and Brussels, there’s been a reluctance to say that “we want Ukraine to win,” says General Ben Hodges, who commanded the US Army in Europe from 2014 until 2017. Giving a frank assessment of what the US got wrong by not strongly backing Ukraine after Russia’s initial 2014 invasion. Gen. Hodges succinctly lays out how Ukraine can “liberate Crimea by the end of August 2023, assuming the West stick together and deliver everything we said we’d deliver, including longer-range precision weapons.” Hedges also gives his take on what the astonishing human toll that Russia’s war against Ukraine has taken.
February 5, 2023 – Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges argues that Ukraine must retake Crimea to win the war against Russia and achieve security.
February 16, 2023 – In an exclusive interview for Kyiv Post, Tatiana Popova discusses the current status of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the general outlook, with General Ben Hodges, the former US military commander in Europe. The top military expert is confident that Russia’s superiority in numbers does not mean that it can defeat Ukraine. Its criminal war is being waged in a wasteful and not particularly effective manner. Resorting to nuclear weapons makes no sense for Moscow.
Looking ahead, tanks to be supplied by Ukraine’s Western supporters will help the Ukrainian forces penetrate Russian defenses later this year. Ukraine’s air has been “incredible” and Russia’s failure to achieve air superiority has been a major surprise. What Ukraine needs now are long range-precision capabilities to liberate Crimea, the “decisive” terrain. This will have profound repercussion in Russia. Ukraine needs to recover its territory, modernize and build up its forces, eradicate corruption at home, and conclude firm security agreements with the US, it western neighbors and others.
February 28, 2023 – The Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professorship at UNC-Chapel Hill presents Russia’s War in Ukraine: Should and Will Ukraine Take Back Crimea? Dr. Klaus Larres (UNC-Chapel Hill) and a distinguished expert discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the military strategies being employed on both sides of the battlefield, and the global implications of the conflict. This Krasno Global Event features insightful commentary and remarks from Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges (Former Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe; presently Senior Adviser, Human Rights First).
March 18, 2023 – Ben Hodges – All hell will break loose on Russian Army.
What’s about to happen will surprise many. “The biggest battle of the war is starting.” – Ben Hodges
April 12. 2023 – Most people don’t know how bad the situation is! Ben Hodges explained uprising breaks out in Kremlin.
April 13, 2023 – It is Ukraine’s turn to counterattack, so when and how hard will they attack?
April 14, 2023 – Retired Lt. General Ben Hodges shared his opinion on how and when Ukraine could liberate Crimea. Also, General Hodges expressed his view on what could happen after the liberation of Crimea. Moreover, Ben Hodges answered the question on the possibility of NATO deployment of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
April 21, 2023 – Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia’s occupying forces could begin very soon. What are the lessons from the grueling battle for Bakhmut? How has Ukraine’s defense of Bakhmut affected its ability to go onto the offensive? And what will be Kyiv’s primary goals as it mounts the attack? The former Commanding General of the US Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, analyzes Ukraine’s strategy in an extended interview with DW’s Richard Walker.
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Situation in Bakhmut
02:10 Hodges: why Ukraine defended Bakhmut
04:15 “Crimea is the decisive terrain”
06:10 Ukraine’s readiness level
09:40 Dealing with Russian defenses
12:00 How Ukraine will target Crimea
15:30 Will Putin go nuclear?
17:10 What Ukraine needs
19:00 Who has the stamina to keep going?
May 3, 2023 – Ukraine’s unpredictable war tactic stuns Russia: chaos begins on the fronts.
May 17, 2023 – General Ben Hodges Says 24 Hours Ago, Putin Received The Devastating News, Russia Is Lost Forever In a recent interview, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commanding general of U.S. Army Europe, expressed confidence in Ukraine’s forthcoming counteroffensive against Russia. He spoke following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement that the offensive was momentarily postponed until additional Western weaponry and military supplies arrived. President Zelenskyy had emphasized the need to wait, as initiating the offensive with the current resources would result in significant casualties, which he deemed unacceptable.
Hodges clarified that the notion of a delay was inaccurate, suggesting that the concept of a spring offensive was an invention. He believed that no specific date or season had been designated for the operation. He outlined three conditions that needed to be met before informing President Zelenskyy about the readiness to proceed. Firstly, Ukrainian forces must possess the necessary strength, preparedness, and training for a successful operation. Secondly, Russian forces must be sufficiently weakened and disrupted for the Ukrainian attack to be effective. Lastly, the condition of the ground must support the movement of numerous armored vehicles.
May 28, 2023 – “Incoherence and hatred between the various leaders on the Russian side guarantees that they will not have a coherent defense.” Russia could be ‘cracked open’ if Putin cannot get control of his ‘warlords’ Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges tells Kate Gerbeau on timesradio Frontline
June 7, 2023 – Lieutenant General Ben Hodges – Ukraine’s unpredictable war tactic stuns Russia.
June 20, 2023 – Ben Hodges, a retired United States Army officer who served as commanding general, United States Army Europe, currently the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis, on his interview at Ukrlife.TV has expressed his opinion on the ongoing Ukrainian offensive, its perspectives and significance for the war effort.
June 25, 2023 – Ben Hodges explains Yevgeny Prigozhin’s coup attempt was Putin’s game! What’s Putin’s next plan?
June 26, 2023 – Ben Hodges: How much control does Putin really have over the Wagner group and Yevgeny Prigozhin?
July 3, 2023 – Ben Hodges explained! Mutiny erupts in Russian army! Putin’s collapse will be worse than you think!
July 4, 2023 – Ben Hodges explains Russian army’s pride destroyed.
July 5, 2023 – Is Ukraine’s counter-offensive successful or not, and is Ukraine going to liberate its territories up to the 1991 borders? What weapons does it need for this? Why is it important to liberate Crimea using long-range rockets? What would be the main targets for such weapons? Will Russians use nuclear power against Ukraine and Europe? What will happen if Russia collapses? Answers to these questions and more in our newest podcast with Lieutenant General Ben Hodges (ret.), former Commanding General of the US Army Europe.
July 11, 2023 – Ben Hodges announces it’s the Russians’ last stand!
July 12, 2023 – Ben Hodges explains: What will be the end of Ukraine? NATO members don’t lift their weight!
July 19, 2023 – In this video, Ben Hodges discusses the Ukraine crisis and how it is threatening the future of Russia. Ukraine is on the brink of an epic disaster, and Russia is largely to blame. Ben Hodges discusses the Ukraine crisis and how it is threatening the future of Russia, and provides an overview of the history of the Ukraine conflict.
July 29, 2023 – Ben Hodges reports from Crimea on the largest military mobilization in Russian history. The Russian military’s attempt to Crimea has failed, with troops refusing to fight and leading to the biggest military mobilization in Russian history. This video reports from the frontlines of the crisis in Crimea, as Ben Hodges speaks to soldiers who are refusing to fight and see their dreams of annexation crumble.
August 7, 2023 – In this video, Ben Hodges discusses the latest news in the Ukraine, including reports of a Russian military disaster of epic proportions. Ukraine is in a turmoil, and Ben Hodges is here to share the latest news with you. From reports of a Russian military disaster to the latest on the situation in the Ukraine, Ben Hodges is keeping you up-to-date on all the latest developments. Buying this video will help support independent journalism and help ensure that you have access to the best news available.
August 8, 2023 – There’s a fragility in Russia’s logistics and in their command structure that at some point, if enough pressure is applied, I think it cracks.” Russia and Belarus have run out of manpower to start a new offensive or hold back a potential breakthrough once Russian static defenses are overcome, says Former commander of US army Europe Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Ben Hodges.
September 21, 2023 – In this video, General Ben Hodges shares his thoughts on the current situation in Russia and Ukraine. General Ben Hodges is the commander of the US Army Europe, and he has a lot of knowledge and experience to share about the situation in Russia and Ukraine. As the commander of US Army Europe, General Ben Hodges has a unique perspective on the situation in Russia and Ukraine. In this video, he shares his thoughts on the current state of affairs in Russia and Ukraine, and what the future holds for the people of Ukraine and Crimea.
September 26, 2023 – “Their air defense is not properly coordinated or very effective in Crimea…Russia cannot actually defend this place.” Ukraine will make Crimea untenable and force Putin’s Black Sea Fleet out of Sevastopol if Russian air defenses don’t improve, says Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges.
November 17, 2023 – “Russia abandoning Crimea will be a gigantic step towards ending this war because I think for Russia, Crimea is what it’s all about.”
December 8, 2023 – Almost two years after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, winter is once again worsening conditions for civilians and for soldiers. Hopes of a successful counteroffensive have been dashed. Instead, Ukraine is facing renewed pressure on the battlefield – while Kyiv’s allies have scaled back pledges of new aid. We talk to Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of the US Army in Europe, about what Ukraine can still expect from the West.
December 12, 2023 – Most analyses of the Ukrainian counteroffensive declare it a failure, with a good portion of them blaming Ukraine’s scattered focus. Retired lieutenant general of the US Armed Forces attributes the majority of the blame on the West’s reluctance to provide Ukraine with substantial enough support. More on this as well as on the state of the Russian army, the hazards the Russian artillery is facing, as well as why he thinks it is realistic for Ukraine to reclaim its territories in accordance with the 1991 agreements.