>>> CREWS IN UKRAINE ARE BATTLING DAMAGE TO
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TRYING TO RESTORE POWER, HEAT, OTHER
BASIC SERVICES DURING CONSTANT STRIKES FROM RUSSIAN DRONES.
OFFICIALS IN KYIV THE CAPITAL SAY TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN
THE LATEST BARRAGE. THEY SAY IF THEY DID NANG TO
TAKE DOWN 30 OF THE 35 DRONES FIRED.
JOINING ME TO DISCUSS MAJOR GENERAL JAMES SPIDER MARKS CNN
MITT TEAR ANALYST. GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK ON.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS, JIM. THANK YOU.
>> TO YOU AS WELL. A LOT OF TALK AND THIS HAS BEEN
CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE WARS HOW QUICKLY AND HOW ADVANCED ARE
THE AIR DEFENSES THAT THE U.S. AND WEST ARE GETTING TO UKRAINE
TO FIGHT THIS J BARRAGE HERE. THE LATEST DISCUSSION PA TREAT
MISSILE SYSTEMS. WILL THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE STRIKES WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY?
>> WELL, IT SURE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE PATRIOT IS AN ENHANCED CAPABILITY OVER WHAT'S EXISTING
RIGHT NOW IN UKRAINE. LOOK, BY IMPROVING EFFICACY OF
THE AIR DEFENSE CAPABILITIES AND AS YOU HAVE DESCRIBED 30 OF THE
35 OR SO DRONES WERE SHOT DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE THAT
COVERAGE THAT WILL EXIST AND THERE WILL BE VERY -- I WOULD
SAY VERY STRONGLY DEFENDED -- PRIORITY TARGETS ARE FOR
PROTECTION IF A STRUCTURE, POWER GENERATION, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS,
ET CETERA. SO THOSE WILL BE PROTECTED AND
THE PATRIOTS WILL GIVE THAT CAPABILITY.
THE KEY IS HOW QUICKLY CAN THEY GET IN AND THAT'S ANYBODY'S
GUESS. THERE IS A LARGE TRAINING ARM
THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT, THERE'S A PIPELINE NECESSARY IN
ORDER TO GET SUFFICIENTLY EQUIPPED SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND
TO WORK THE SYSTEM, BUT UNTIL THEY ARE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE --
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, THESE IMAGES -- THE RUSSIANS ARE
GOING TO TAKE COMPLETE ADVANTAGE OF THE OVERKILL THAT THEY HAVE
RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF THE USE OF DRONES AND DUMB ROCKETS,
ARTILLERY CERTAINLY IS A BACKUP SYSTEM AS WELL.
>> THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT PUTIN POTENTIALLY OPENING
UP ANOTHER FRONT FOR SOME TIME FROM BELARUS AND IT WAS NOTABLE
THAT HE VISITED BELARUS THIS WEEKEND.
THE BELARUSIAN ARMY HAS THEIR OWN ISSUES, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY
CONCERN THAT THAT MAY BECOME A REALITY IN THE COMING DAYS AND
WEEKS? >> ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, IF THE RUSSIANS WERE TO OPEN UP THIS OTHER FRONT JUST
NORTH OF KYIV, THIS IS WHERE THE RUSSIANS WERE POSTURED IN
ADVANCE OF THE INVASION ON THE 24th OF FEBRUARY, CERTAINLY
UKRAINIANS HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SINCE ALL THE
FIGHTING EFFORT THAT'S TAKEN PLACE HAS BEEN IN THAT SOUTHEAST
CORNER. SO CERTAINLY THIS IS A
LEGITIMATE CONCERN AND IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, DISBURSE THE UKRAINIAN
DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES BUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVE ON
THE GROUND IN TERMS OF THEIR ENGAGEMENT AGAINST THE RUSSIANS
HAS BEEN QUITE REMARKABLE. WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST NINE
MONTHS THAT WE ARE NOT SURPRISED BY THE UKRAINIAN CAPABILITY TO
ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH RUSSIAN FORCES, BUT THE RUSSIAN FORCES
HAVE NOT IMPROVED THEIR OVERALL FORCE STRUCTURE, THEIR
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES THAT THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED, THEIR
INCOMPETENCE WHEN THEY GET ENGAGED WITH UKRAINIAN FORCES.
SO I THINK IF THE RUSSIANS WERE TO DO THAT THEY WOULD FIND
THEMSELVES IN A SIMILAR SITUATION WHERE THE UKRAINIANS
WILL OUTFOX THEM, OUTMANEUVER THEM.
>> THERE HAS BEEN SOME PUBLIC COMMENTARY FROM UKRAINIAN
OFFICIALS THAT RUSSIA IS BUILDING A NEW OFFENSIVE IN THE
NEW YEAR, A BIG ONE. I'VE SPOKEN TO U.S. OFFICIALS
WHO ARE SKEPTICAL THAT RUSSIA HAS THE CAPABILITY TO DO SO.
DO YOU THINK THAT THAT IS A GENUINE POTENTIAL?
>> I DON'T. AS WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED AND AS
WE'VE SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST NINE MONTHS, THE
RUSSIAN MILITARY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS ITS FUNDAMENTAL
CHALLENGES. LOOK, IN ORDER FOR RUSSIA TO
PRESENT A NEW TYPE OF RUSSIAN MILITARY INTO THE FIGHT, IT'S
GOING TO BE A GENERATIONAL CHANGE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS,
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET NEW KITS, GET MORE CREATIVITY DOWN
TO THE FIGHTING LEVEL. THIS IS A HIERARCHICAL MILITARY
THAT ONLY EXISTS IN A VERY STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT, VERY
HIGH BOUND. THEY HAVE THE INITIATIVE, THEY
DON'T HAVE THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND THE LEADERS TO TAKE
CHARGE. SO IF THEY WERE TO PUT
ADDITIONAL FORCES ON THE GROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE'VE
SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST NINE MONTHS WHICH IS RUSSIAN
FORCES ENGAGED WITH UKRAINIANS THAT ARE GOING TO GET
SLAUGHTERED WHICH MEANS THE RUSSIANS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
BACK UP AND DO WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW WHICH IS LAUNCH LONG-RANGE
MISSILES AND LAUNCH ARTILLERY TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THEIR OBJECTIVES,
WHICH IS A BATTLE OF WILLS AGAINST THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE.
>> SCORCHED EARTH STRATEGY IT SEEMS.
MAJOR GENERAL SPIDER MARKS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THIS MORNING.
THESE ATTACKS ON INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE KNOCKED OUT POWER ACROSS
UKRAINE, LEAVING MILLIONS IN THE DARK DURING WHAT IS SETTING IN
TO BE A VERY BRUTAL WINTER WITH INCREDIBLY LOW TEMPERATURES.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAYS THIS WILL NOT DETER HIS COUNTRY FROM
FIGHTING BACK. >> Translator: WHATEVER THE
ROCKET WORSHIPPERS FROM MOSCOW ARE COUNTING FOR, IT STILL WON'T
CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THIS WAR.
THEY STILL HAVE ENOUGH MISSILES FOR SEVERAL SUCH MASSIVE
STRIKES. WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH
DETERMINATION AND SELF-BELIEF TO RETURN WHAT IS OURS AFTER THESE
STRIKES. >> JOINING US NOW IS CNN
MILITARY ANALYST AND RETIRED AIR FORCE COLONEL CEDRIC LEIGHTON.
THE POINT OF THIS IS TO BASICALLY DESTROY MORALE ACROSS
UKRAINE. ZELENSKYY IS TRYING TO MAKE THE
ARGUMENT THAT IT'S NOT WORKING. >> THAT'S RIGHT, KAITLYN.
I THINK HE'S GOT A REAL POINT THERE, ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED
PERSONALLY, PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW ARE WOUNDED OR HAVE BEEN
KILLED IN THE WAR. THEY'RE PERSONALLY SUFFERING
SHORTAGES OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THERE'S THIS RESILIENCE WITHIN UKRAINE THAT IS REALLY
AMAZING TO BEHOLD, ZELENSKYY IS REFLECT THAT IN THE WAY HE'S
ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS. HE'S ALSO -- BY DOING THIS, HE'S
FURTHERING THE WHOLE IDEA OF RESISTANCE AND MAKING IT A
RESILIENT SOCIETY, SOMETHING YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT TO HAVE
HAPPENED IN A COUNTRY LIKE UKRAINIAN.
>> LET'S BE REALISTIC ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE IN THE WANING DAYS OF DECEMBER, WANING DAYS OF 2022.
YOU AND I STARTED REPORTING THIS IN FEBRUARY.
ALMOST A YEAR. THE CONDITIONS ARE HORRIFIC.
I'VE BEEN THERE IN THE WINTER. IT IS COLD.
GIVE US THE CONDITIONS OF THE WAR RIGHT NOW.
>> SO YOU'VE GOT THIS BONE-CHILLING COLD THAT
EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH ON BOTH SIDES.
THE RUSSIANS ARE WOEFULLY UNPREPARED FOR THIS COLD, WHICH
IS KIND OF SURPRISING BECAUSE THEY TRAIN IN THE ARCTIC,
THEY'VE GOT LARGE AREAS OF TERRITORY THAT ARE WITHIN THE
ARCTIC CIRCLE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED
TO IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THIS KIND OF A FORCE.
ON THE UKRAINIAN SIDE, THEY'RE GETTING A LOT MORE FROM THE WEST
THAT WILL HELP THEM ON A PERSONAL BASIS FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER, TAKE CARE OF THE COLD ASPECT OF THIS, BUT
THEY ALSO ARE GETTING WEAPON SUPPLIES.
THEIR SUPPLY LINE IS MUCH BETTER SERVICED THAN THAT OF THE
RUSSIANS. IT'S REALLY MAKING A BIG
DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY IN WHICH THE UKRAINIANS CAN PROSECUTE
THIS WAR. IT DOESN'T MEAN THE UKRAINIANS
ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WIN THIS WAR OUTRIGHT, BUT IT MEANS THEY
CAN AT LEAST AT THIS POINT SUSTAIN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO AND KEEP WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REGAIN FROM THE RUSSIANS
AT THIS POINT. >> OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE NO STRANGER
TO WAR. DID YOU EXPECT IT TO GO ON THIS
LONG? THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT.
>> THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT RIGHT NOW.
I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO GO ON THIS LONG, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S
REALLY UP TO PRESIDENT PUTIN OF RUSSIA TO DECIDE AT WHICH POINT
HE'S GOING TO WITHDRAW THESE FORCES.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CRITICAL ELEMENT HERE.
WHEN DOES HE DECIDE TO DO IT? HOW DOES HE DECIDE TO DO IT?
HE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO TRY TO SAVE FACE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF A SETTLEMENT AT SOME POINT, BUT
WE'RE NOT THERE YET. AND THE UKRAINIANS ARE NOT GOING
TO WANT TO GIVE UP ANY TERRITORY.
>> IT'S HAVING MASSIVE IMPACTS ON THE U.S.
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" HAD A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT MILITARY
SPENDING AND WHAT THE WAR IN UKRAINE HAS DONE WHEN IT COMES
TO ALL THE PRIVATE COMPANIES MAKING ALL THIS, AND THE
TIMELINES OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW SPEEDING IT UP IS NOT
SOMETHING THEY CAN DO IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> THAT POINTS TO THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE ARE NOT PREPARED, WE WERE NOT PREPARED TO SUSTAIN A WAR OF
THIS TYPE FOR SOMEBODY EMS, AND WE WERE CERTAINLY NOT PREPARED
FOR SOMETHING THAT ISN'T A QUICK WAR LIKE WE HAD, SAY, IN THE
FIRST STAGES OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM OR IN DESERT STORM.
WE KIND OF FOCUSED OUR MILITARY ON THOSE KINDS OF WARS AND
FIGHTING COUNTERTERRORISM-TYPE OPERATIONS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT.
>> I THOUGHT VLADIMIR PUTIN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE TEN DAYS OR
SO, RIGHT? >> OH, YEAH, MUCH LESS THAN
THAT. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE MARCHING
HIS TROOPS DOWN THE MAIN STREETS OF KYIV IN THREE DAYS.
THEY HAD THEIR PARADE UNIFORMS IN THEIR TANKS.
>> THAT'S FAS 245E9ING. THEY BROUGHT THEIR PARADE
UNIFORMS AND MEDALS, THEY DIDN'T PACK ENOUGH FOOD OR WEAPONS, BUT
THEY BROUGHT THEIR UNIFORMS THINKING THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE
A CELEBRATION WITHIN DAYS. >> ALL THE TANKS PARKED ALONG
THE WAY THAT UKRAINIANS HAD TAKEN OUT, MUCH OF A SURPRISE TO
RUSSIA. >> ABSOLUTELY.
THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GO ON PARADE IN THOSE THREE
DAYS. OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THAT 40-MILE-LONG CORN VOI THAT HAD A LOT OF TROOPS IN THERE,
TOTAL DISASTER FOR THE RUSSIANS. IT SHOWS YOU CAN NEVER PREDICT
HOW QUICKLY THESE WARS ARE GOING TO END WHEN YOU START THEM.
>> COLONEL, THANK YOU. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU.
>> SAME HERE, DON.