This morning.
Officials in Ukraine putting extra
security measures in place.
They fear
Russia will ramp up attacks to mark
the one year anniversary tomorrow.
Joining us now
to speak about the state of the war,
retired U.S.
Air Force General Philip Breedlove.
He's the former
NATO supreme allied commander.
Also distinguished here
for the Middle East Institute.
Good to have you on sir.
Good to be back.
So we're a hearing tomorrow
to the formal invasion of the East.
There had been some hope in recent months
that perhaps
Vladimir Putin
would see the writing on the wall here,
maybe shoot for peace.
A lot of hope,
but some hope,
but clearly not given
his comments lately.
And devotion of further resources
and forces there.
Do you see any end in sight to this war?
Well, not right now.
Clearly, Mr.
Putin also has his back against the wall.
He can't come
out of this war
with less land than he entered.
And while the fight
is not existential to Russia,
it may be existential to him.
On the other side.
President Zelensky
is enjoying strong,
incredibly strong
and growing support among his people
to take back all of Ukrainian land.
So right now,
we are truly at loggerheads.
General, there's so much concern
and fear that
President Putin
is going to use tomorrow
use this one year anniversary
to launch some sort of new offensive,
do something big and symbolic in Ukraine.
Do you think that's going to happen?
Well, most will tell you,
I believe
now that this offensive
has already begun.
It's not going in the way Mr.
Putin would want it. To go.
So I think the offensive is already on.
But will he try something flashy?
That's not beyond him.
The Russians are very keen to sort of
celebrate anniversaries.
And so
I think that Ukraine is standing ready
in case that does happen.
Does Russia have the
capability to do to bleed attempt
to bleed Ukraine to
to keep at this here
in this war of attrition?
And does Ukraine, in your view,
have the capability to stand up to that
Well, Mr.
Putin intends
to give us the message that he will stay.
And I'll use your words, not my words.
Bleed Ukraine
because he knows he has the autocratic
or, as I say,
kleptocratic power
to make those kinds of decisions.
And he's counting on the leadership
of the West to grow tired and to weaken.
And so
I think that's his every intention.
Ukraine.
If we give them what they need, they
beat Russia
every time on the battlefield.
Two strategic defeat in the north
and on the verge of an operational
level defeat in the south.
So Ukraine
stands ready
as long as the West will give
them what they need.
Well, General Philip
Breedlove, it's good to have you on.
Certainly a conversation
will keep up in the coming days
and weeks as we monitor the war there.
Thanks for joining us this morning.
Thank you, General.
Well, CNN is also getting
a firsthand
look inside that battered town
in southeastern Ukraine.
CNN's Alex Marquardt
filed this report for us
this fight for bullied
are right
now is one of the most important
and difficult in the country.
While the fight for a back
mood is largely symbolic,
This is a very strategic fight
for both sides.
Vali Da is unique
in that it sits
at the intersection
of the two main active fronts in Ukraine.
The Southern and the eastern front.
That is why Russia
wants to try to push through here
to launch an offensive into Donbass.
It is believed that
this is one of their shaping
operations, the beginning
of a larger offensive
to come in the next few weeks.
But they are struggling very badly
right now.
They've lost a huge amount of men
and armored vehicles
as they try to cross
open fields, including minefields,
where the Ukrainians
have been able
to inflict a huge amount of damage
on their troops.
At the same time,
the Russians are absolutely pummeling
this town.
You can see all around me.
These are Soviet era,
a apartment blocks now largely empty.
The residents have fled.
And almost every single one
destroyed in varying degrees.
All of the windows have been blown out.
Craters here in the ground where children
used to play.
Ukrainians have the benefit
of the higher ground here
and these buildings
to use in the fighting.
But as with so many of the battles
here in eastern Ukraine,
it is a fight of attrition
who can hold out the longest.
The Ukrainian side saying
they need more ammunition
to be able
to keep the Russians at bay,
to keep them from advancing.
Alex Marquardt, CNN,
border in eastern Ukraine.