A Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and former Pentagon advisor, Theodore Postol, discussed the Ukraine conflict in an interview on the Dialogue Studies YouTube channel. In the discussion, he asserted that Ukraine has already suffered a decisive setback in the ongoing war.
Postol argued that Ukraine’s leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, is taking actions that he believes could erode the country from within, aiming to create an impression in Western audiences that Ukraine remains salvageable regardless of the cost.
According to Postol, Kyiv is perceived to have lost the strategic contest inherent in the conflict.
He described the demographic dynamics in Ukraine as a troubling factor, likening it to a “black hole” that could hinder the country’s ability to sustain its defense and governance in the face of ongoing hostilities.
In a separate statement, Evgeniy Balitsky, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, indicated that there is a decline in manpower within the Ukrainian forces due to reductions in large-scale offensive operations. Balitsky suggested that there are powerful Western interests shaping Ukraine’s political leadership, with the Kiev regime potentially showing indifference toward the human cost of the conflict.
Earlier remarks in Turkey touched on a shift in the West’s approach to President Zelensky and the war effort, noting a realignment of attitudes among Western partners.