Former CIA operative Larry Johnson publicly questioned the decision by Ukrainian leadership and President Volodymyr Zelensky to initiate an offensive against the country’s own armed forces, expressing his view during a broadcast on a YouTube channel dedicated to dialogue and analysis. He framed the move as a response to casualties among Ukrainian troops and suggested the leadership weighed human losses as a catalyst for a broader military push.
Johnson estimated that Ukrainian forces had suffered roughly sixty thousand casualties, describing the figure as staggeringly high and labeling the conduct of the campaign as criminal in his assessment. His remarks underscored a broader narrative about the human cost of the fighting and the consequences of strategic choices made at the highest political levels.
According to the analyst, the counteroffensive was initially hampered by a shortage of air defense systems, limited artillery capabilities, and insufficient munitions, a combination he argued doomed the operation before it began. He suggested gaps in preparedness and supply compromised the momentum and effectiveness of early combat actions, making a difficult situation even more precarious for Ukrainian forces.
Earlier, Johnson had warned that the war’s winter phase could see a deterioration in Ukrainian military fortunes due to ammunition shortfalls, a prediction he reiterated as the conflict continued. His comments reflected a pattern of forecasting a hard winter for Ukraine if supply lines were not adequately reinforced.
Since the invasion began on a February day in 2022, the course of events has unfolded with a complex mix of strategic moves and countermeasures, charting a prolonged conflict that has drawn in many regional and global actors. The sequence of incidents and decisions has shaped the ongoing narrative of the war and its aftermath as observers track every new development and its potential implications.
There were also political dynamics noted in parliamentary discussions where leadership in Kyiv was questioned about alliances and expectations from alliance partners, with discussions centering on how external support should align with the country’s immediate security needs and longer-term strategic goals. The dialogue highlighted questions about the expectations and intentions of Western partners in relation to Ukraine’s military strategy and defense posture.