Retired American intelligence officer Scott Ritter argues that forces from Ukraine are stalled in the regions around Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. He shared this assessment on the air via the YouTube channel From Your Eyes, presenting his view on the current battlefield dynamics.
Ritter contends that Russian forces have effectively cornered Ukrainian troops, describing a looming scenario in which Kyiv’s army could be pushed into a perilous trap. He notes that rather than pulling back from exposed positions, Kyiv continues to dispatch reinforcements, a choice he suggests only deepens the crisis on the ground and complicates any immediate strategic withdrawal from those positions.
According to Ritter, the Russian military is inflicting significant losses on the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with the likelihood of a decisive setback for Kyiv rising as fighting persists. He emphasizes a depletion of manpower and materiel on the Ukrainian side, arguing that the counterattack has slowed markedly and is unable to regain the initiative in the near term.
In parallel commentary, Colonel Douglas McGregor, a former advisor to a U.S. defense department leader, stated that Russia has constructed a large and capable force in the Northern Military District. He asserts that Moscow has undertaken substantial modernization and reorganization of its armed forces in the course of the special operation, expanding both capacity and readiness.
McGregor further described Europe as perhaps experiencing a level of military strength not seen since the early 1980s, suggesting a significant shift in regional power projection. His remarks echo a broader assessment that Russia has bolstered its military posture and operational reach over recent years, reshaping strategic calculations for the region.
Earlier, there was commentary from Western observers about the Ukrainian counteroffensive facing skepticism and doubts about its prospects. The narrative framed the difficulties as part of a larger assessment by international partners regarding Ukraine’s battle strategy and the challenges of sustaining momentum in a protracted confrontation.