Retired general Ben Hodges drew a comparison between Russia and the Soviet Union, warning we should be prepared for the eventual collapse of Vladimir Putin’s country
Russia is on the brink of “collapse” and the world needs to prepare for potential nuclear chaos inside the country, a military expert has claimed.
Retired general Ben Hodges, who once served as commander of the United States Army in Europe, suggested that Vladimir Putin’s country could break up into several small states as its days as a unified republic are numbered. The former senior US military commander, who has been a regular commentator on Russia’s war in Ukraine, warned that if this happened, it could cause a new wave of refugees and potential nuclear chaos.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian combat losses amount to 812,670 troops, although this number hasn’t been confirmed by Putin and estimates vary. The war in Ukraine, which began nearly three years ago in February 2022, is placing huge stress not just on Russia’s human resources but also on its economy.
In an interview with The Ukrainian Review, Mr Hodges said we should be “anticipating the eventual collapse” of Russia, as he drew a comparison with the collapse of the Soviet Union. He said: “I think almost everybody was surprised that the Soviet Union collapsed. It happens so suddenly. We were not prepared for what happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union. So, I think we should be anticipating the eventual collapse.
“I think the Russian Federation is collapsing now. It’s not in a straight line, but it is happening. We should be thinking about what will happen. There will be refugees. There will be concern about nuclear weapons. There will be people concerned about control of oil and gas and all the other resources.
“And some parts of the Federation will want to become independent, others will choose to remain affiliated with Moscow. We should be thinking about how we want that to end up.”
The retired general argued that helping Ukraine to defeat Russia was strategically important for both European and US security and that it would deter China from invading Taiwan. He also praised Ukraine’s attack in Kursk as a “brilliant” move that wrong-footed the kremlin.
Mr Hodges, who has been a Senior Advisor to Human Rights First since June 2022, said: “It took the initiative away from the Russian side and forced the Russians now to have to deal with a strategic and operational challenge. That seems entirely appropriate. And a part of a good defence is being able to go on the offence when you need to at the operational level.”
At the weekend, some Russian fuel depots went up in flames after being targeted by Ukrainian drone attacks. An overnight strike on Lyudinovo in Kaluga region ignited a key oil facility supplying the Putin war machine.
The Uzlovaya oil depot in Tula region was also engulfed in flames after an attack by Ukraine. This followed a double strike by Ukrainian drones on an aviation fuel base in Engels, Saratov region, where fire was raging ten days after the initial hit.
The inferno has cut fuel supplies for Putin’s strategic nuclear bomber aircraft – Tu-95 and Tu-160 – based at nearby Engels-2 air base. Another key oil depot at Liski in Voronezh region continued to burn the day after it was hit by Ukrainian drones.