Retired Colonel Douglas McGregor has provided a chilling update on the ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasizing the catastrophic toll the conflict is taking on Ukrainian forces. In an interview with Judge Andrew Napolitano on Judging Freedom, McGregor stated that the situation is dire, with thousands of Ukrainians dying needlessly every day.
McGregor explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin has largely achieved his geographic goals in Ukraine, with the exception of securing Odessa. “Kharkiv is in ruins. It’s his for the taking,” McGregor said, highlighting the dramatic impact of the conflict. He also referenced the historical significance of Odessa, noting that the city was the site of violent acts against the Russian population that fueled Russian intervention in Eastern Ukraine.
Conditions on the battlefield, according to McGregor, are beyond grim. “They’re losing thousands and thousands of people needlessly and pointlessly,” he said. The Ukrainian military is now in full retreat, with units streaming westward to escape the advancing Russian forces. In contrast, the Russians are moving carefully and deliberately, minimizing casualties while maximizing their destructive capabilities.
One of the key tactics being employed by the Russian military is the use of glide bombs, which have been devastating to Ukrainian forces. McGregor emphasized that Ukrainian air defenses are virtually nonexistent, allowing Russian aircraft to launch hundreds of glide bombs in a single week. The damage caused by these attacks is crippling, leaving the Ukrainian ground forces unable to recover.
McGregor also discussed the West’s ongoing support for Ukraine, describing it as ineffective in changing the course of the war. “We’re sending $400 to $500 million to Ukraine right now, but it’s like giving a heart patient on his last legs a haircut and a shave,” he remarked. According to McGregor, the military aid is simply prolonging the inevitable and failing to make a significant difference on the ground.
He believes that the only way to bring the conflict to a close is for the U.S. to suspend all military aid to Ukraine and withdraw its citizens from the country. “If that happens, the whole picture changes, and this war can come to a very rapid close,” McGregor stated.
In a further grim assessment, McGregor predicted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s optimism about continued U.S. support after Donald Trump’s return to office in 2025 is misplaced. “He’s been lying through his teeth for months,” McGregor said. He likened Zelensky’s regime to the failed Afghan government, suggesting that once U.S. support evaporates, so will the regime.
The retired colonel also addressed the question of Ukraine’s ability to survive the Russian onslaught after January 2025. He pointed out that if the U.S. pulls back, Russia may be more willing to negotiate, but under current circumstances, there’s little reason for the Russian government to believe anything the U.S. says.
Finally, McGregor noted the broader implications of the war for U.S. foreign policy. He argued that to achieve any lasting stability in the Middle East, a resolution in Ukraine must come first. “Otherwise, our position in the Middle East is as tenuous as we’re going to discover once the missiles begin to fly again,” McGregor warned.