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THE UKRAINE WAR BEN HODGES OPINION ... JUNE 18TH, 2024 Info Flow: General Ben Hodges - Putin's Retreat, Russian Army's Power Crumbles /b> PLAY YOUTUBE VIDEO Original article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtiITfw23WU Peter Burgess COMMENTARY Peter Burgess
General Ben Hodges - Putin's Retreat, Russian Army's Power Crumbles Info Flow Jun 18, 2024 44.5K subscribers ... 204,978 views ... 4K likes #ukraine #russia #benhodges In this video, General Ben Hodges discusses Putin's retreat and how the power of the Russian army is crumbling. Watch to learn more about the latest updates on Ukraine and Lt Gen Ben Hodges' perspective. #russia #ukraine #benhodges Info Flow ... Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. Transcript 0:00 what if the key to Ukraine's survival against Russian aggression was hiding in plain sight in a startling update retired General Ben Hodges reveals a breakthrough that could drastically shift the balance of power let's delve into how a surprising discovery might just change the course of the conflict in a recent talk Ben Hodges former Commanding General of the United States Army Europe shed light on a critical issue facing Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia let's listen to a segment where he discusses an unexpected Ed turn in the ammunition Supply situation for Ukraine yes um started late of course but um I see evidence every day of more and more um efforts and and investment into restarting this uh you know president pavl the president of the Czech Republic who's a retired General used to be the chairman of the military committee at NATO you know he's he's gone out looking all over the place and he's found like one and a half million rounds of of artillery ammunition that could be produ produced 1:02 purchased and delivered to Ukraine this year so it's it's out there uh in fact I think as the wheels really start turning by the end of this year the ammunition situation for Ukraine is going to be significantly better we should have never even had this this dip but I do have the sense that we're going to be in a better place but if you think about it uh the economy of Russia compared to the combined economies of all of the of Europe the EU European Union I mean the EU dwarfs Russia in terms of economic potential and and and what they actually have um I had so many German friends tell me three years ago before Russia's largescale invasion they said come on Ben why why would Russia invade Ukraine I mean you know they'll be screwing theirselves because they'll lose all their European uh oil and gas customers and um their economy it's the size of Italy well of course that was not the uh calculation that the Russians 2:01 use but the fact remains that their economy is dwarfed by the EU so if the if the Europeans have the political will to reprioritize and and transition some things to producing ammunition other things needed for Effective deterrence or defense it'll happen so it's not a matter of economic potential it's a matter of political will right now probably somewhere between I've heard different numbers but between 50 and 70% of the ammunition that's already being manufactured in Europe goes to existing customers outside of Europe like in the Middle East or in Africa so um companies I mean these these are not Charities these are businesses would need protection from their government about liability if they cancelled or shifted a contract they had with the UAE instead sent it to Ukraine that requires political will I don't expect you to have an 3:00 answer but I want to ask this question uh this has been the great mystery the last month but where are all these shells coming from that the Czech president found initially the the number was 800,000 but now it's 1.5 million is this is this coming from South America somewhere or southeast Asia like it's a it's been a mystery and I I keep I keep trying to figure it out you know same here Jake I uh it's not published somewhere that I've been able to see a comprehensive list of and this is this is part of it um the Eda the European Defense Agency which is an agency under the European commission the governing body of the European Union had the task to go out and find the million rounds that the EU promised to Ukraine uh and so I spoke to the guy uh let's just say he's in a position where he would know from Eda and he said they have a real hard time finding what's out there because Nations don't want to reveal 4:00 what they have for security reasons I mean you won't find any unclassified document that says exactly what the US has you know so Nations don't want to share information about what they have or what their shortfalls are and companies are reluctant to be too transparent about what they are producing or who their customers are so there is a lot of uncertainty out there the fact is there are dozens of companies across Europe a lot of them seem to be in the Balkans actually inside the Former Yugoslav Republic um that make ammunition um and then you've got uh I I think Korea is providing more South Korea is providing more and more ammunition um I even heard the other day Taiwan so uh I think the sources are out there I was on a phone call yesterday with a guy and he said I've got 15 companies lined up ready to produce you but I need to you know they're trying to figure out the business end of it and 5:01 uh I know that there's a couple of companies in my little part of of North Florida where I was from that make ammunition I I never knew they existed but they're they're cranking out ammunition there so um it's not like one big giant Ford or Chevrolet uh Factory that does it it's lots of places and as you probably know and and your listeners are switched on you know the components that go into it to make the the explosive the the brass for the casings all of these things a lot of competition for that General Hodes started by acknowledging the slow start in ramping up ammunition supplies but highlighted a promising development spearheaded by Czech president Peter pavl pavl leveraging his military background has located a significant amount of artillery ammunition 1.5 million rounds that could be made available to Ukraine within the year this find is a GameChanger suggesting that the am ammunition shortfall could 6:00 be significantly mitigated by Year's End hodg has pointed out a critical comparison the combined economic potential of the European Union dwarves that of Russia despite the initial skepticism from his German colleagues about Russia's willingness to jeopardize its European energy Market the fact remains that Europe has a much greater capacity to produce military supplies if it has the political will to do so however the real challenge lies in mobilizing this potential European Defense manufacturers Hodges explains often have existing contracts with non-european countries such as those in the Middle East in Africa these contracts create a dilemma shifting production to meet Ukraine's needs would require governments to step in and manage the economic and legal ramifications for these companies Hodge has also highlighted a significant transparency National Security concerns prevent countries from revealing their stock piles and companies are reluctant to disclose their production capacities 7:01 and customer bases this lack of transparency complicates efforts to efficiently allocate resources the discovery by the Czech president exemplifies the scattered and somewhat secretive nature of ammunition production with sources ranging from South Korea to Taiwan and numerous companies in the Balkans and even North Florida the ammunition supply chain is complex and multifaceted it's not just about finding the ammunition it's about navigating the intricate web of glob Global Production and Logistics this situation underscores a broader theme in hodges's talk the interplay of economic potential and political will Europe has the resources to support Ukraine effectively but it must overcome bureaucratic inertia and strategic opacity the future of Ukraine's defense could very well depend on whether European leaders can align their policies and actions with their economic capabilities as we reflect on haj's insights it's clear that the solution to Ukraine's ammunition crisis 8:01 is within reach the real question is whether Europe will rise to the occasion leveraging its economic might and political Unity to turn the tide in this critical conflict in another segment of his recent talk General Ben Hodges delves into the systemic issues plaguing Russia's defense industry highlighting the impact of sanctions and the historical context of Ukraine's industrial significance let's listen to what he had to say um I think it points to the the right within the system you know the Decades of of corruption is part of it and a reminder that in the days of the Soviet Union Ukraine was actually the heart of the Soviet defense industry so they lost that um and then sanctions which have not been the devastating blow uh that I think many had hoped and assumed but they are having an effect uh they're not able to uh make the the quantity of high quality 9:03 Precision weapons anymore because some of the components that they needed used to come from countries that are now living up to the sanctions that are enforcing sanctions so they've lost that so they have to depend on uh either aot's substitute components electrical components that you get out of a washing machine or other sources to do some of these things uh um I think that the uh um part of their problem also is that their labor force has been hammered because so many people have been mobilized for the Army I mean this is hitting uh industry um across Russia I was I was reading something today about the uh huge impact on Russian rail tens of thousands of their trains have been uh put out of business because of inadequate labor and also because the sanctions have limited their 10:00 access to repair parts electronic components and lubricant so sanctions I think are having having an effect and and so North Korea of course is happy to oblige and they're North Korea is avoiding is is skirting sanctions to deliver Ammunition To Russia uh just like Iran and uh you know you're talking about two of the most sanctioned countries in the world so they're not worried about incurring additional sanctions we ought to be able to figure out a way though to disrupt that uh partisans blew up the rail tunnel connecting North Korea to uh to Russia but so now they put it on ships and it goes around to another Port where they unload the ammunition General Hodges began by addressing the deep-seated corruption within the Russian system a problem that is festered over a decade and now exacerbates their current challenges he reminded us that during the Soviet era Ukraine was the Hub of the Soviet 11:01 defense industry with the dissolution of the Soviet Union Russia lost this critical industrial base adding to their current difficulties sanctions have played a significant role albeit not as devastating as initially hoped by many however hodg has pointed out that these sanctions have indeed impacted Russia's ability to produce highquality Precision weapons the sanctions have disrupted their supply chain cutting off access to essential components previously sourced from countries now enforcing these restrictions this has forced Russia to rely on inferior substitutes such as repurposing components from household appliances like washing machines which compromises the quality and reliability of their weapons moreover Hodges emphasized that Russia's labor force is suffering due to extensive military mobilization this strain is felt across various Industries including their critical rail system which has seen tens of thousands of trains sideline due to a lack of Manpower and restricted access 12:02 to necessary repair parts electronic components and lubricants caused by sanctions hajes then turned to the international Dynamics at play noting how countries like North Korea and Iran are skirting sanctions to supply Russia with ammunition these countries already heavily sanctioned themselves have little to lose and continue to support Russia's War efforts North Korea for example has resorted to shipping ammunition To Russia after partisans disrupted the rail tunnel connecting the two Nations the General's insights paint a picture of a baguer Russian defense industry grappling with internal corruption labor shortages and the crippling effects of international sanctions despite these challenges Russia is still managing to find allies willing to bypass sanctions highlighting the complexities of enforcing International punitive measures hodges's analysis underscores the multifaceted impact of sanctions while they may not deliver an immediate knockout blow they 13:00 steadily erode the capacity and efficiency of the targeted Nations Industries the broader implications are clear the combination of internal Decay and external pressure is steadily degrading Russia's military-industrial complex but the Persistence of unsanctioned support from countries like North Korea and Iran remains a significant hurdle reflecting on haj's remarks it becomes evident that while the sanctions regime is making inroads a comprehensive strategy is required to disrupt these alternative supply lines and further weaken Russia's War Machine the situation remains complex and the International Community must remain Vigilant and adaptive in its approach to effectively counter these evolving threats General Ben hodges' detailed analysis provides a stark look at the internal and external pressures facing Russia's defense industry as we continue to monitor these developments the interplay of sanctions corruption and international alliances will remain critical in understanding the broader context of this ongoing conflict as we 14:01 wrap up General Ben Hodge's insights offer a profound understanding of the multifaceted challenges and Dynamics shaping the conflict between Russia and Ukraine from the surprising discovery of ammunition caches to the impact of systemic corruption and international sanctions it's clear that the situation is both complex and ever evolving Europe's potential to bolster Ukraine's defense the Strategic importance of transparent resource allocation and the persistent threat posed by countries skirting sanctions all underscore the intricate dance of geopolitical power the path forward demands not just economic resources but also unwavering political will and Innovative strategies to navigate these challenges we hope this deep dive into General hodges's analysis has provided you with a clearer picture of the current state of play and the critical factors at stake as we continue to watch these developments unfold your awareness and understanding standing become part of a larger 15:01 informed conversation if you found this analysis enlightening don't forget to like subscribe and hit the notification Bell for more in-depth discussions and updates on Global Security and defense issues let us know your thoughts in the comments below how do you think Europe should navigate its role in supporting Ukraine what are your views on the impact of sanctions and international alliances thank you for watching and stay tuned for more insightful content until next time stay informed and stay engaged

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