Ben Hodges - The Siege of Crimea has Begun as Ukraine Takes Control over the Black Sea and Coastline

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Published 2024-03-30
Strikes on Russian oil refineries have a significant impact on Russia’s ability to conduct warfare. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Commander of U.S. Forces Europe in 2014-17, stated this during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum. “Of course, attacks on oil refineries have a significant impact. Russia is less able to pay for this war, and it also deprives it of the necessary fuel to continue hostilities. I would recommend ignoring the calls for an end to such attacks.”

The Lieutenant General emphasized that sanctions against Russia need to be strengthened. He also added that 2024 will be the year of industrial competition. “Ukraine and the West should win this competition. I am talking about of course building up ammunition supplies, but also moving forward maintenance capabilities so that the Ukrainian soldiers can fix forward equipment that is broken or damaged on site, as well as increasing their ammunition stocks.”

According to Hodges, Ukraine should put pressure on Russian logistics, particularly in Crimea, to make the peninsula unusable for Russian troops. “I would not expect a dramatic drop in Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The job of (new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) Syrskyi will be to stabilize the situation on the front line, but industrial competition will play a role here, while the Ukrainian army needs new units to ensure rotation”.
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Ben Hodges is a retired United States Army officer, who became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, and held that position for three years until retiring from the United States Army in January 2018. He was most recently a Senior Advisor to Human Rights First, until summer 2023, and serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics. Until recently was the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, specialising in NATO, the Transatlantic relationship and international security.
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CHAPTERS:
00:01:07 Introduction - what's happened since the last conversation
00:01:55 What we're still getting wrong about Vladimir Putin
00:03:39 Russia crimes - using Ecocide and Energy as Weapons if war
00:06:14 The grey fleet breaking oil sanctions and threatening disaster
00:11:29 Ukraine's revolution in military tactics in the air and at sea
00:14:17 Has siege of Crimea begun, and will it become untenable for Russia
00:16:25 The failing Western strategy of extreme 'escalation manangement'
00:22:29 How has Ukraine still held the line, depite ammunition famine
00:29:42 Why was Jake Sullivan in Kyiv, and does it involve appeasement?
00:30:32 We are giving Putin signals thate he can act with total impunity
00:36:15 What are immediate requirements of Ukraine and how can we meet them?
00:40:41 Is the strategy of 'risk management' built on incorrect assumptions?
00:43:51 Western strategy increases global risk of conflict and chaos
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LINKS:
twitter.com/general_ben
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hodges
cepa.org/author/ben-hodges/
warsawsecurityforum.org/speaker/hodges-ben-lt-gen/

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CHAPTERS:
00:00:00
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TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:
Save Ukraine
www.saveukraineua.org/

Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas
superhumans.com/en/

UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine
unbroken.org.ua/

Come Back Alive
savelife.in.ua/en/

Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen
wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine

UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy
u24.gov.ua/

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation
prytulafoundation.org/
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All Comments (21)
  • I’m a little person. I’m moderately educated. I’m old. I have lived all over the world. I have seen the Cuban missile crisis, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the folding of the Soviet Union and my brain is screaming “Stop taking this conflict lightly!” All elements are in place for the perfect storm. Do people remember what democracy is and how much it cost? Huge, huge thanks for this positive interview 👍 🇺🇦🇮🇪🇺🇦
  • @sneakerset
    "I'm not a Navy guy". I like Ben Hodges, and his understated humor.
  • @anacasco7765
    Ben Hodges looks, sounds and THINKS so naturally SENSIBLE that he should be heard by the whole NATO... and especially his own Americans!! 👍👍👍
  • @davidgab4448
    Winston Churchill — 'You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.' - To Neville Chamberlain. I honestly don't like how people seem to forget this simple idea and how applicable it still sounds today.
  • @40watt_club
    Gen. Ben Hodges is always to the Point. Thanks to the both of you for making my day. Slava Ukraini from Vienne /Autriche.
  • @CrookedSkew
    Tremendous interview. Thanks Silicone Curtain and Ben Hodges!
  • @BIOSHOCKFOXX
    I want Ben Hodges and Col. Douglas MacGregor, and Scott Ritter to meet and sit down at a table together, the conversations could be interesting between them, since I hear something different from Ben Hodges, different opinions, different view from the other two I know well.
  • A huge "thank you" to Ben Hodges for tirelessly advocating for Ukraine ...
  • @EEX97623
    Alright, let’s go, thanks Jonathon and Ben Hodges.
  • @yootoobnz8109
    Both an excellent interviewer and excellent interviewee. I wish more of the politicians themselves could think with such clear logic.
  • @Jim-yz7qf
    Ben is a great man. His empathy is palpable and his intelligence relating to tactics and global issues is invaluable. Would love to get his autograph frfr. And even a meet and greet. Respect.
  • @RizzlaTheCat
    I want to Thank both you and Ben for the amount of time & effort you guys put in- to this extremely important issue! Ben should run for president!!
  • @sunshine4sue2
    🗽🇺🇸 🦅Stand proud, strong and ✝️Keep the faith🌻💙💛🕊️🇺🇦🫂with much Love from Indiana, USA🙏
  • @louisnaidu9140
    Thank you for interviewing a very intelligent person who predicted this long ago.
  • @rightman1347
    Every word of questions is very well-chosen and answers are right to the point. Brutally honest. Please note that we are not in TV interview era any more, and finding a way or ways to have more viewers of these spectacular conversations is vital. I hope other channels on youtube which support Ukraine and free world in general, understand the importance of giving link to them. Many thanks
  • @Max-lw1dw
    Such good common sense! Thanks Gen Hodges.
  • @anacasco7765
    Ben Hodges... always CLEAR and AWESOME in his view of the present realuty... and the MOST FACTIBLE FUTURE if occident does not react on the history KNOWN and the facts we observe. 👍🇺🇲👍