Russia-Ukraine conflict: Retired US general says Russia is running low on time, resources

In the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, troops have been met with fierce resistance from Ukrainian civilians, politicians, and its military. According to a retired US Lieutenant General, Russia is running low on time and resources to continue its offensive.

In a piece for the website of the Center for European Policy Analysis, retired US Lieutenant General Ben Hodges said that Moscow has 10 days to reverse course on its war effort as the Russian military is running out of time and resources to continue its invasion. Hodges explained that the collapse of Russia’s initial military strategy has resulted in serious problems in maintaining its forces.

“Their transition to attrition warfare is driving up consumption rates beyond what they had planned and what they can sustain,” wrote Hodges. “They will still have a lot of the conventional artillery and so-called dumb bombs. But as we know from past US military operations, the most sophisticated munitions are very expensive and so more limited in availability.”

But Hodges also explained that the Russian military is also running out of time in its offensive. The retired general cited the growing number of sanctions on Russia, and that due to the sanctions, the country may default with $150 billion in foreign currency debt. Hodges also noted the growing protests against the war within Russia, as more and more people are speaking out against the conflict.

Meanwhile, the United Nations International Court of Justice has ordered Moscow to cease its military offensive on Ukraine, expressing concern over the Russian military’s use of force against Ukrainian civilians.

“The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022, on the territory of Ukraine,” said the ICJ judges with a 13-2 vote Wednesday. The judges added that Russia must ensure that other forces that it controls or is supported by the Kremlin should also refrain from pursuing the military operation.

While the court’s rulings are binding, there is no clear way to enforce the verdict. There have been past cases where countries have ignored the rulings. Countries that refuse to comply with the court’s orders will be referred to the UN Security Council.