We have been anticipating a battle there, it has not materialized yet. Larry: joining me, general jack Keane, strategic military analyst. the Russian convoy is still stalled for a variety of reasons. what do you make of that, general? that’s obviously a very good thing. what this operation has certainly shown is the lack of planning and execution logistically by the Russian general staff.
And clearly the operations they conducted in Georgia, much smaller scale, and sooner Ukraine in 2014 can be much smaller scale relying on largely unconventional forces. even in their after-action report they said they have could have taken more territory. it’s obvious that lack of experience and particularly for the planning of it has come up short. major logistics problems. the fact that they are such serious logistics problems makes the convoy vulnerable to the Ukraine resistance and the combination of that is quite deadly. they have gotten once again to a hostile airfield where the paratroopers were there in the early days.
The paratroopers are back there now. that’s on the west side of the city. they intend to encircle the city from the west and the east. they made a little bit of progress on the east side, but they have a long way to go. they will even circle it, hammer they will even circle it, hammer it with rocket artillery, likely bring some aircraft in as well. and Kyiv will get a pounding. but we are sometime for that. this campaign for Kyiv could take some time based on the operation at problems they are having. the mission in Kyiv and Kharkiv, is to topple the government and encircle the major cities and force the government to surrender or kill or capture the elites and leaders of the government.
That is the political objective assigned to the military. their objective is to cease control of the cities to the north. in the south they are making some progress. they intend to cut off from the Ukrainians access to the city. Marioupol is part of that. there is no electricity in the City and it will eventually fall. Kherson has fallen. and Odessa is farther to the west at the independent of the red on the left-hand side is where Odessa is. large amphibious ships approaching it.
They will wait for ground troops to get to Odessa before they conduct a coordinated attack. they will likely be able to achieve their military acrossive here in the south. that’s where we stand. Putin is bringing forces in as far away as the east coast of Russia near the pacific ocean. they are on rail cars as we speak. it will take days for hem to get there. he had a limited reserve callup. we’ll watch and see if he increases that or if he goes a full mobilization.
But Putin is determined to accomplish his objective. that is to topple the regime, turn it over and install a friendly government, despite the obvious issue, it’s such an he will farnlt in the room that Ukrainians will fight him tooth and the nail as an insurgents force for as long as it stakes to get rid of the Russians. Putin seems to have dismissed.
He is not concerned about it. but it’s something we should be planning for along with Nato to help Ukrainians at that phase of the operation when the government is toppled. Larry: up to now, instead of coming the Zelensky government, what seems to have happened is Zelensky has become a world figure because of his courage and stead — steadfastness courage. Putin has become the most demonic hated guy on the planet. there are reports that there.
Have been three assassination attempts on Zelensky but that Russian secret service people who don’t really like what you continue is doing somehow warned the Zelensky people off so the assassinations haven’t happened. which of course increase Zelensky’s stature and further reduces Putin’s stature. what do you think about all that?
I think it’s remarkable. but it’s not surprising that there is dissention here. in the secret services, the intelligence services. we know there have been generals who opposed Putin taking Ukraine. i would suspect most of the agencies in Putin’s government, there are some opposition to what is happening here. there is the humanitarian aspect of it. but it’s also the reality that Putin is going to make Russia an international pariah. and will be largely condemned from committing war crimes. we may even see Putin facing a war trial in absence yeah.
Absentia, he’s not showing up for it. there is a lot of false reports together Russian people. for them the war is still in the donbas region. that’s what their state tv is talking about. they are not talking about Pullingling kharkiv or take about pummeling Kharkiv or take down Kyiv. it’s not an invasion of Ukraine. they had to put down genocide. most of the people fortunately have a phone. and the information that’s getting them from relatives and friends, et cetera.
But you are right. this dissention and objection to Putin i think will grow over time inside his country. but listen. those of you who are saying Putin will be gone in a short period of time. it’s a guy who has been in power for 22 years. i think he knows how to protect himself. he’s insulated. the service he’s close to are his secret service people.
They are there to protect him and preserve the regime and keep him in power. i don’t think he’s going any place soon because he knows how to protect himself. he’s no longer the strong man he’s no longer the strong man who is protected fan feared.
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