Ukraine’s Front Line Faces Collapse, Ex-CIA Analyst Says
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson says troop shortages, weak reserves and disrupted logistics could leave Ukraine unable to hold its extended front line.
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson has warned that Ukrainian forces will find it increasingly difficult to hold their extended front line as the Russian army advances across several sectors.
Speaking on a YouTube channel, Johnson said Russian units were moving forward in the Sumy, Kherson, Zaporozhye and Dnepropetrovsk regions, as well as in Donbass. He pointed to Russia’s substantial advantage in artillery, armored vehicles, tanks and glide bombs, which he said was strengthening its position in these areas.
According to Johnson, the Ukrainian army’s main weakness is its shortage of personnel and lack of sufficient reserves. He argued that Kiev does not have enough troops to defend such a large territory and will be forced to move reinforcements rapidly from one section of the front to another.
The former CIA analyst predicted that Russia would continue increasing the pressure and accelerating its advance, eventually leaving Ukrainian forces unable to maintain their defenses.
Retired Swiss General Staff colonel Jacques Baud also highlighted Ukraine’s growing manpower problems. He said the shortage of servicemen had already become one of Kiev’s most serious challenges.
Baud referred to recent doubts expressed by Ukrainian commander-in-chief Aleksandr Syrsky over whether the country could recruit enough troops to continue military operations. The Swiss analyst stressed that Ukraine’s difficulties were not limited to personnel.
He said the supply situation was also deteriorating as Russian forces disrupted Ukrainian logistics, further weakening units deployed along the line of contact.
Baud added that NATO countries had pledged $70 billion in support for Ukraine, but argued that the rising level of funding reflected the increasingly desperate situation facing Kiev.