💥BEN HODGES: Putin’s biggest REGRET! Russian losses hit RECORD HIGHS

[00:00:00] I can't imagine he would ever say that [00:00:02] publicly. I mean, he doesn't seem like [00:00:04] the kind of guy to say, you know, this [00:00:06] is a huge mistake on my part. Um, so I I [00:00:11] can't I can't imagine uh what kind of [00:00:14] what kind of conversations and heated [00:00:17] debates go on inside the Kremlin or [00:00:19] wherever he is. I would imagine that [00:00:22] there are some people that keep him in [00:00:23] power that are like, "Hey, you are [00:00:25] destroying us." I mean, or else he [00:00:30] doesn't know what's really going on. I [00:00:32] don't believe that. I All I heard for [00:00:34] the last years was former KGB is so [00:00:36] smart. He's playing three-dimensional [00:00:39] chess, you know, and all that. So, if [00:00:42] somebody says, "Well, may his people are [00:00:44] not giving him the truth." That's [00:00:46] That's [00:00:48] he he if he doesn't know, then it's his [00:00:50] own fault. [00:00:51] >> Welcome to our program, General Hoes. [00:00:53] >> Thank you again for the privilege, [00:00:54] Daniel. It's nice to to have you here [00:00:56] and to [music] speak with you in Munich. [00:00:58] I would like straight away begin our [00:01:00] conversation with your take on US [00:01:04] Secretary of State Mark Rubio's speech [00:01:06] about the state of affairs between US [00:01:09] Europe and about Ukraine. What is your [00:01:13] highlight of his speech? What is your [00:01:14] take on this? [00:01:16] >> Um [00:01:17] underwhelming actually. uh he said [00:01:20] basically the same thing as Vance did [00:01:22] last year only in a much more pleasant [00:01:26] voice, a a better tone. Um and so uh I [00:01:31] think he he did not uh address uh the [00:01:36] the Greenland issue, for example. Uh I [00:01:40] think almost all everybody here in the [00:01:42] audience would want would have wanted to [00:01:43] hear him say, "Hey, that was a terrible [00:01:46] mistake. Sorry, we didn't mean to, you [00:01:47] know, didn't address it. Uh, didn't [00:01:50] address why helping Ukraine is so uh to [00:01:53] defeat Russia is so important. Didn't [00:01:55] address that. Um, and and it was kind of [00:01:58] this, you know, white Christian [00:02:03] nationalist sort of values. When you [00:02:05] talk when they talk values, that's what [00:02:07] they're talking about. And I think u [00:02:11] probably probably people were relieved, [00:02:14] you know, that he didn't yell at him the [00:02:16] way Vice President Vance did. That's a [00:02:20] pretty low bar, you know, to for the [00:02:22] Secretary of State of the United States. [00:02:24] So, I'm not impressed. [00:02:27] >> Also, I personally was was impressed by [00:02:30] his statement about Ukraine war [00:02:32] negotiations. He said that he doesn't [00:02:36] know doesn't know whether Russians are [00:02:38] ready to to make a deal. And that's what [00:02:41] he said after months of this so-called [00:02:44] negotiations. [00:02:44] >> Yeah. Because he knows actually that [00:02:47] they're not going to make a deal. I [00:02:49] mean, he can see everything that you and [00:02:50] your audience can see. The Russians have [00:02:53] zero interest in actually really [00:02:56] negotiating a peaceful outcome that [00:02:58] doesn't involve Ukraine basically giving [00:03:00] in to all of their demands. Uh now [00:03:04] um that's also I mean that's the [00:03:06] approach of the administration is to put [00:03:08] all the pressure on Ukraine not on the [00:03:11] Russians. And so uh this I think it's [00:03:15] actually very unhelpful when he or Mr. [00:03:18] Witkov or the president or somebody [00:03:20] talks about we're 95% there except for [00:03:23] the most important part. So I think [00:03:26] that's uh that's not helpful. Do you [00:03:29] think that this issue of territory [00:03:31] Donbas region is a solvable one? [00:03:35] >> Yeah, Russia could leave and recognize [00:03:37] this is Ukrainian sovereign territory. [00:03:39] Um I don't know, of course, who am I to [00:03:42] say that to Ukrainians you should keep [00:03:45] fighting because, you know, I'm I'm here [00:03:47] in Munich. I'm I'm not I'm not the one [00:03:49] sitting in uh uh a trench outside [00:03:52] Porroska or my apartment getting shahed [00:03:55] drones. Uh, so this is only the [00:03:58] Ukrainians can uh decide that. But I [00:04:01] think your president, the leadership in [00:04:03] Ukraine, Ukrainian people, every [00:04:05] Ukrainian I speak to is like, "No way. [00:04:08] There's no way you can." And nobody [00:04:11] believes, [00:04:13] regardless of what the US administration [00:04:15] says, nobody believes that that that [00:04:18] that'll be it, that Russia will be [00:04:19] satisfied just to get that last bit of [00:04:22] D, then they'll be good. Nobody believes [00:04:24] that. and uh you know Russia's not going [00:04:27] to agree to a ceasefire or they won't [00:04:29] live up to it. Let's let's say it that [00:04:31] way. So I think Ukrainians have to be [00:04:33] the ones to decide. [00:04:36] I'd be very surprised if they agreed to [00:04:38] it. [00:04:38] >> So you're confident that Donbas region [00:04:41] is not endgame for Vladimir Putin? Oh, [00:04:44] >> absolutely not. No, I mean they they [00:04:46] they basically say that [00:04:49] and um I think why why should anybody [00:04:53] think that that's all they wanted? [00:04:56] I think uh I've I've listened to Lev. I [00:04:59] listened to Putin. I listened to Ned [00:05:02] Videv and [00:05:04] Kill. All these guys, [00:05:07] they haven't backed down on anything. [00:05:09] And so the president is got his own [00:05:12] timeline that's tied somehow to business [00:05:15] deals I think that are probably already [00:05:17] signed between Americans and Russians. [00:05:20] Um I think they've already done this and [00:05:23] they're going to unveil it after what [00:05:26] they think is going to be an agreement [00:05:28] sometime this summer. That's why the [00:05:30] president's pushing, you know, by June [00:05:33] so that they can then unveil uh huge [00:05:36] business deals just in time for the [00:05:38] Fourth of July and the 250th birthday of [00:05:40] I mean I don't I don't think that's uh [00:05:44] that's the kind of thing that Ukrainians [00:05:46] or Europeans and frankly most Americans [00:05:49] would support. [00:05:50] >> Russia's war against Ukraine has now [00:05:52] lasted longer than Soviet Union's war [00:05:55] against the Nazi Germany. And also we [00:05:57] are nearing the fourth anniversary of [00:05:59] this brutal war against Ukraine. What [00:06:01] does this tell you about uh Putin's war [00:06:04] strategy about Russia? [00:06:06] >> Um of course casualties don't matter to [00:06:09] him. Uh but two things do matter to him. [00:06:13] One is uh can he stay in power? [00:06:17] And uh I think as long as the economy is [00:06:21] still able to generate enough money to [00:06:23] keep the war going, he's going to do it. [00:06:27] um which is why I think Ukraine's [00:06:29] strategy of destroying Russia's oil and [00:06:31] gas infrastructure is such a good [00:06:33] strategy. Uh the other thing is uh he's [00:06:36] pretty confident obviously that the [00:06:38] United States is going to do nothing to [00:06:41] stop him and I think he believes that [00:06:43] Europe is also not really going to uh be [00:06:47] able to fill that gap. And so therefore, [00:06:51] um, he's going to keep going until he's [00:06:56] forced to realize that all of Europe and [00:06:59] Canada are with Ukraine and they're [00:07:02] going to give Ukraine what it needs to [00:07:04] be able to defeat Russia. When he sees [00:07:07] that, then I think u they will have to [00:07:10] recalculate in the Kremlin. But right [00:07:12] now, they don't they don't they don't [00:07:15] think that's coming yet. Can Putin end [00:07:17] this war without losing his grip on [00:07:19] power? [00:07:20] >> Uh, that'll be very difficult. He's [00:07:22] going to have a million unhappy veterans [00:07:25] coming home to what? To a economy that's [00:07:28] trash um [00:07:31] I I think uh that's what he does not [00:07:34] want is to have all these troops coming [00:07:36] back home um without having something to [00:07:40] show for it. So I I think it would be [00:07:44] it'd be difficult for him. Of course him [00:07:47] his job security is not my concern. Uh [00:07:51] my my concern is security and stability [00:07:53] and prosperity for all of Europe which [00:07:55] includes Ukraine. [00:07:57] >> Ukrainian president Word Zalinski said [00:07:59] today that quote I'm younger than [00:08:02] Russian dictator Putin. That's why I [00:08:05] have more more leverage. What is your [00:08:07] reaction to this? [00:08:08] >> Well it's number one it's a true [00:08:09] statement. Uh number two, um you know, [00:08:13] when I see your president, uh how he [00:08:15] interacts with soldiers and people and [00:08:17] world leaders, I mean, you can't fake [00:08:20] that [00:08:21] the whole time. I mean, it's a genu [00:08:24] genuine positive leader u who's been an [00:08:29] incredible uh leader for Ukraine and an [00:08:31] example for everyone else. nothing about [00:08:35] Vladimir Putin that anybody [00:08:38] that came to this conference wants to [00:08:40] emulate. [00:08:42] >> Can Ukraine face in indef this war [00:08:45] indefinitely? And don't you think that [00:08:47] this mass of mass of attrition is not on [00:08:50] our side because Russia has certainly [00:08:54] more manpower, more resources? [00:08:57] >> Well, okay. Um, I think the Russian [00:09:00] advantage in manpower is uh maybe [00:09:03] overstated. I mean, why are they why are [00:09:05] they bringing in North Koreans uh [00:09:08] grabbing immigrants to who thought they [00:09:10] were coming to work in a factory and [00:09:11] instead are ending up in the in the [00:09:13] Donbass? Um, I think Russia does have [00:09:16] some manpower challenges. Um, so [00:09:22] Ukraine's in a different position. you [00:09:23] know, you're defending um and what what [00:09:27] has h seems to have happened on the [00:09:28] front, the creation of this the kill [00:09:31] zone um in in Ukraine seems to have been [00:09:35] able to you don't have as many troops [00:09:38] exposed there maybe as conventionally [00:09:40] you would have. [00:09:43] I I think uh and also there's probably [00:09:45] about 2 million Ukrainians that uh are [00:09:50] still out there that are doing other [00:09:52] things, important jobs for the country, [00:09:54] but could also be soldiers. So, I I [00:09:58] think uh the manpower advantage of [00:10:01] Russia is is there, but it's not [00:10:03] decisive. [00:10:05] >> Russia uh has hit another record high in [00:10:09] December. Russian troops have lost [00:10:11] 35,000 soldiers killed and wounded and [00:10:15] according to Bloomberg um in January [00:10:18] they couldn't replace 9,000 troops [00:10:21] couldn't replenish this uh losses. [00:10:25] Ukrainian minister, defense minister [00:10:27] meanwhile Federro says that he his aim [00:10:31] is to uh get out of to knock out at [00:10:35] least 50,000 Russian troops every months [00:10:39] killed and wounded. [00:10:40] >> That's a worthy objective. Um, but I [00:10:43] think it's it's just as important in my [00:10:46] view also to destroy Russia's oil and [00:10:49] gas infrastructure, to destroy their [00:10:51] core strength, which is the logistics, [00:10:53] the headquarters. Um, if you take that [00:10:56] out, then it it almost doesn't matter [00:10:59] how many Russian infantry there are. If [00:11:01] you have destroyed their logistics and [00:11:03] the headquarters and their artillery and [00:11:06] of course the Shahed drone factory, [00:11:08] those kinds of things. As we are nearing [00:11:10] fourth anniversary of this brutal war [00:11:13] against Ukraine, how can you assess the [00:11:14] main results of Ukrainian deep strikes [00:11:17] because there has been no a lot of [00:11:20] coverage right now in the media of this [00:11:22] campaign against oil refineries against [00:11:24] military infrastructure and also Ukraine [00:11:27] has begun using its own long range [00:11:29] drones and missiles. [00:11:31] >> Yeah. Well, of course, I always enjoyed [00:11:33] watching when when reporters would show [00:11:35] here's a uh oil refinery in some some [00:11:40] part of Russia, seeing it on fire. Um, [00:11:43] and you don't see that as much. I don't [00:11:45] know that that means it's not still [00:11:46] happening. Um, the Russians of course [00:11:49] would not want that being advertised [00:11:51] what they're what they're losing. Um, [00:11:53] but the key is what's their production [00:11:56] and and also what's the price of oil? I [00:11:58] mean, it's gotten down so low that this [00:12:01] has a very d uh negative impact on uh [00:12:07] Russia's ability to finance the war. So, [00:12:10] I I would say just this seems to me to [00:12:14] be a very wise strategy and I think we [00:12:17] in the west should be finding more [00:12:19] weapons to help and ways to help [00:12:22] increase Ukraine's ability to produce [00:12:25] those kinds of capabilities. [00:12:27] Does Vladimir Putin regret invading [00:12:30] Ukraine from your perspective taking [00:12:32] into account this uh [00:12:34] >> yeah if he does if he does I can't [00:12:36] imagine he would ever say that publicly. [00:12:39] I mean he doesn't seem like the kind of [00:12:41] guy to say you know this is a huge [00:12:42] mistake on my part. U so I I can't I [00:12:48] can't imagine uh what kind what kind of [00:12:51] conversations and heated debates go on [00:12:54] inside the Kremlin or wherever he is. I [00:12:57] would imagine that there are some people [00:12:58] that keep him in power that are like, [00:13:00] "Hey, you are destroying us." I mean, or [00:13:04] else [00:13:06] he doesn't know what's really going on. [00:13:08] I don't believe that. I All I heard for [00:13:10] the last years was former KGB is so [00:13:12] smart. He's playing three-dimensional [00:13:15] chess, you know, and all that. So, if [00:13:18] somebody says, "Well, may his people are [00:13:20] not giving him the truth." That's [00:13:22] That's he he he if he doesn't [00:13:25] know then it's his own fault. He also [00:13:29] used to wear military uniform all the [00:13:32] time to continue his propaganda trips to [00:13:34] Russian troops on the ground inside [00:13:37] Ukraine and uh in Russia. Also, I would [00:13:41] like to get back to the beginning of [00:13:43] this full-scale war as we are nearing [00:13:45] the fourth anniversary and let's also [00:13:49] speak about preorgian march on uh [00:13:52] Moscow. Don't you think that was uh [00:13:54] probably the most uh dangerous moment [00:13:56] for Vladimir Putin? [00:13:57] >> That Yeah, that that's a good point. [00:14:00] [clears throat] I think that was not a [00:14:01] that was not a uh attempted coup. Of [00:14:04] course, that was a mutiny that really [00:14:07] was about business. I think Proggoian [00:14:09] was very unhappy with Shyu's attempt to [00:14:12] gain control over all the various [00:14:14] mercenary companies. And so, he did [00:14:17] that. What was most interesting to me is [00:14:19] how almost nobody did anything. [00:14:22] >> I mean, they were even cheered in [00:14:24] Rusttov. I think [00:14:25] >> no one stopped him. [00:14:26] >> Yeah. And there's except maybe the mayor [00:14:28] of Moscow, you know, putting up some [00:14:31] barriers, but really um [00:14:35] there was not a strong [00:14:37] I think people were waiting to see like [00:14:39] what's going to happen here. And so uh [00:14:42] that that probably was a pretty uh and [00:14:46] and of course that's why progression is [00:14:47] dead. As we are also assessing the past [00:14:52] events, the Atlantic recently [00:14:53] interviewed Ukrainian President Zalanski [00:14:56] and the Atlantic journalist asked [00:14:58] President Zilanski whether Ukraine [00:15:01] should have settled this war in 2022 [00:15:05] after successful battle for Kio Harku [00:15:08] Hers because US general former general [00:15:11] right now Mark Millie advised Ukrainians [00:15:14] in 2022 to settle the war. What is your [00:15:18] take on this? [00:15:19] >> Well, you know, who are we to advise the [00:15:23] president of Ukraine to say, "Hey, let [00:15:26] the Russians keep that." Well, we would [00:15:28] never accept that, I think, in the US. [00:15:30] At least I hope not. And uh you know, [00:15:33] this these parts of Russian occupied [00:15:35] territory, that's not dirt, you know, or [00:15:38] some empty real estate place in [00:15:41] Manhattan. These are Ukrainian people. [00:15:44] And u I don't I don't uh know how [00:15:49] President Jalinsky could have could have [00:15:51] done that especially when he could see [00:15:55] um probably already could feel you know [00:15:57] the potential of his own soldiers and [00:16:00] the weaknesses of the Russian side. So I [00:16:03] don't know if he would make the same [00:16:04] decision today. I expect he would. [00:16:07] >> We didn't cover security guarantees for [00:16:10] Ukraine. There have been lots of [00:16:12] discussion about it. Is this offer worth [00:16:15] even considering this? 24 hours for [00:16:18] response of Ukrainian troops, 48 hours [00:16:21] for coalition of the willing response [00:16:24] and then 72 hours for possible US [00:16:27] involvement in that. But this is still [00:16:29] an open question. [00:16:30] >> Uh well, first of all, you know, at [00:16:32] least what I've read is that Ukraine [00:16:34] would have to agree to give up all these [00:16:37] things before the guarantee would Okay, [00:16:40] that that's a problem already. Um, I [00:16:43] have zero confidence that uh that we [00:16:47] would live up to that. I've seen nothing [00:16:51] from the administration that tells me [00:16:52] that they would be willing to to do a [00:16:55] real US response in this kind of very I [00:16:58] mean, it sounds good. I I'm just [00:17:02] skeptical. if we're not even willing to [00:17:03] give Ukraine uh more ammunition and and [00:17:07] things, [00:17:09] why why why would this administration [00:17:11] all of a sudden be willing to um [00:17:16] you know, whether it was air power or [00:17:19] land power to go a response against the [00:17:22] Russians. I I've seen nothing from them [00:17:25] that tells me that they would actually [00:17:27] follow through on that. So, President [00:17:28] Jalinsky, I think, is very wise to say [00:17:31] he he wants to see that this was like a [00:17:33] treaty where the Congress ratifies it [00:17:35] and it, you know, that's that's more [00:17:37] than just some uh that's much more than [00:17:40] say the Budapest memorandum for example. [00:17:43] >> How do you see the possible endg game [00:17:46] for this war? Because right now even [00:17:48] President Zilinski says that Ukraine uh [00:17:51] does not have enough resources, manpower [00:17:53] to to conduct counter offense, large [00:17:57] counteroffensive operations. At the same [00:17:59] time, Russians trying to move forward at [00:18:02] high costs. They have uh incremental [00:18:05] gains, but they still move forward. Even [00:18:08] if we stop them right now, prevent [00:18:11] moving forward, they still can firing [00:18:13] missiles and drones at Ukrainians. [00:18:15] >> Yeah. Oh, that that of course that's [00:18:17] that is the uh I imagine must be the [00:18:20] most difficult thing that the president [00:18:23] your president is having to think [00:18:24] through how much longer you know city is [00:18:27] going to have to do this. Um [00:18:32] but I think that the uh the strategy of [00:18:36] destroying Russia's ability to sell oil [00:18:39] and gas to China and India and Turkey [00:18:42] [snorts] and other countries um it is a [00:18:46] winning strategy especially of Europe [00:18:48] helps with stopping the shadow fleet [00:18:50] vessels. So [00:18:52] only only the leadership of Ukraine can [00:18:55] make that decision. And I would, it [00:18:57] would be wrong for me to say, "No, hang [00:18:58] in there or get, you know, let them have [00:19:00] it cuz at the end of the day, I think [00:19:03] they know that the Russians will [00:19:05] absolutely keep coming. Even if there's [00:19:07] a one-year pause or, you know, whatever, [00:19:10] it's it's not over. [00:19:12] >> There have been some interesting war [00:19:14] games in the media about the possible [00:19:16] confrontation between Europe and uh [00:19:19] Russia. How can you assess the readiness [00:19:22] of European nations to def defend itself [00:19:24] right now?" And uh what kind of threat [00:19:27] does Russia pose to Europe right now? [00:19:30] >> Well, of course, the best way to protect [00:19:31] Europe is to make sure that Ukraine [00:19:33] wins. I mean, not one German soldier, [00:19:36] British soldier, Polish would ever have [00:19:38] to die as long as they provided to [00:19:40] Ukraine everything that [snorts] you [00:19:42] need. U that's the best way to make sure [00:19:45] that Russia never attacks the rest of [00:19:47] Europe. Ukraine obviously is a part of [00:19:50] Europe. Uh secondly, if Ukraine fails [00:19:53] and Russia eventually is able to [00:19:57] achieve whatever its goals are and then [00:20:01] within another year or two, I imagine [00:20:03] they they would be prepared to attack [00:20:06] into Latia for example or Lithuania. [00:20:09] It's it's a real possibility. [00:20:11] >> Final question and I would appreciate a [00:20:13] short answer. Head of the mini security [00:20:16] conference day before conference said [00:20:18] that if there is a ceasefire in Ukraine [00:20:21] there would be a much larger threat by [00:20:25] Russia to Europe to European nations. Do [00:20:28] you agree with that? [00:20:31] >> I guess it depends on the nature of how [00:20:33] do we get to a ceasefire? [00:20:35] Um you know Russia cannot defeat [00:20:38] Ukraine. So I don't think they're [00:20:39] prepared to take on NATO if they think [00:20:41] that NATO is is actually ready. Um, [00:20:46] but I I would I would I would say that [00:20:48] the Europeans are finally waking up to [00:20:51] the understanding that Russia is already [00:20:53] at war with Europe. All these gray zone [00:20:55] operations, this is already Russian war. [00:20:58] Um, it's that is a precursor to actual [00:21:03] kinetic combat. So, um, if if they don't [00:21:07] if they don't start taking real action [00:21:09] to stop Russian gray zone operations, [00:21:12] then I think the risk goes up. Thank [00:21:14] you, General Hajes, for your time and [00:21:15] for your support for Ukraine again. And [00:21:17] glory to Ukraine. [00:21:19] >> Glory to the heroes.