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month? >> boy, that is a terrific question. first of all, i think in the long run it is good news. nato has been revitalized. there is a potential for sweden and finland to join the alliance. they had zero military capability. i think in very short order they'll be the principal ground combat power in europe. so, from putin's perspective, the longer run from is a disaster for him. the other questions that remain are the degree to which the economic sanctions and being a pariah state will effect the people of russia. which ambassador mcfaul has spoken to before. it is quite clear to me that in the long-term, russia's military capability will be severely did he graded by economic sanctions. again, a disaster for putin. in the short run, however, i
scenario? >> they can. i wouldn't necessarily describe the earlier phases of this war as insurgency but a masterful use of small unit tactics. this platoon raids that ukrainians were using to punish supply lines, ambush armored vehicle convoys and things of that nature. this will be a drawn-out battle, much like we have seen unfolding at least in the urban centers like we have seen in mariupol. it will be a tough slog. they are putting up valiant fights against russian formations, what seemed like overwhelming number. that is what is going to play out in this region. they are trying to concentrate forces, ground combat power, artillery, air power, to oppress and destroy ukrainian forces but the offensives to the north have
most of the front pages report on the growing tensions between russia and ukraine — described as "very, very dangerous" by borisjohnson. the paper says british officials estimate a further 1a russian battalions are heading towards ukraine, each with around 800 troops. "last—ditch efforts to stop war in europe" is the i newspaper's headline. it reports that residents of the ukrainian capital of kyiv are preparing an air raid shelter — but russia suggests that diplomacy and dialogue is still possible. the times carries the prime minister's comments that "diplomacy can still save ukraine". the paper includes a striking image of russian forces on exercises in the northwest of the country yesterday. it reports that 60% of russia's ground combat power is believed to be within striking distance of ukraine. and away from ukraine, many of today's front pages feature
of the pullback. the us ambassador to the un said... it's estimated that more than 60% of russia's ground combat power is currently at the border. satellite pictures like these have shown a dramatic increase over the past few months. and we also know large scale military drills are continuing. these pictures are from crimea — the region russia annexed from ukraine in 2014. this is the assessment of the uk prime minister. we are seeing russian open to conversation. on the other hand the intelligence we are seeing today is still not encouraging. we've got russian field hospitals being constructed near the border with ukraine and belarus, only can be construed as preparation for an invasion. you've got more protective
get what vladimir putin wanted but invasion wasn't necessarily real. on sunday i asked if putin would invade and you said blunt live bluntly. talk to me about diplomacy and a deescalation which we have seen none of. >> well, clearly the facts on the ground have not changed substantially. russia has put 60% of their ground combat power in and around the south and maritime potential attack. they have half their air power deployed. they brought forces from all over the giant russian federation. i was watching video purporting to show the withdrawal. those trains were half loaded. there's no reason to think that the reality on the ground has yet changed.
ripple effects that come from there. >> let's talk cyber attack here, general mccaffrey. ukraine now saying they have experienced one of the largest cyber attacks they have experienced in their nation's history. if it is identified that the source of this cyber attack is moscow, is russia at the ends of vladimir putin, how should the united states -- how should nato forces respond? >> russia is potentially capable of bringing down the electrical grid, of affecting the water supplies, the knocking the financial system on its knees. so we should expect that the crisis is not over, even if military overt ground combat power pulls back. these kind of threats to
notice he's also recruiting in syria for foreign fighters, practiced in urban warfare, sounds like nonsense also. you've got 60% of his ground combat power inside ukraine, half the air force. he's in over his head already. his logistics system has broken down. it looks like, at the operational level of war, his commanding control has broken down. they're not fighting very well and they look indisciplined and hungry and looting things, so this is a mess. i don't see how he backs out of that. at some point, one can only hope that his own military leadership approaches him and says, you're deepening the disaster for russia. he's had to arrest 15,000 of his own citizens, brave people, incredible to stand up to russian police, but this is a downward slide. will the europeans in particular
trying to get s-300 anti-missile systems out of other nato countries delivered. there may be some new technology appearing, but i think the biggest thing president biden has done is political unity, economic sanctions, and now i think what we're going to see nato do is build a strategic threat to the russians in the eastern block of countries. we're going to see enhanced forward presence by the french, by the germans, by the united states and the baltic states, poland, romania, so that putin's generals tell him, hey, look, you have committed 60% of our ground combat power and half our air power to fighting in ukraine. now nato is a strategic threat to us in other locals. that's probably the next step.
nations to sign up, but the brits, french, germans and us can do it, and they need to start doing it now. >> and is that a conversation that's happening? because i know when you talk, general mccaffrey, people listen. >> well, you know, i've been in several administrations in washington, and our government actually works better than any other one i've encountered on the globe. however, we get wrapped around the council, you know? conference table and with lawyers debating -- the white house lawyers, doj lawyers, state lawyers, pentagon lawyers, defensive versus offensive, you know, i've seen a lot of people killed in combat, and it was not apparent whether it was a defensive kill or an offensive kill. so, they've been worried about nuclear warfare. they should be. the president's going to be held accountable. they're worried about world war iii. not much of a worry in my mind. russia has most of their ground