← All stories
Geopolitics

Former Intelligence Official Claims Half of Ukrainian Army Killed or Wounded

Judging Freedom · Ray McGovern Predicts What Happens to Putin Next · July 7, 2026
Former Intelligence Official Claims Half of Ukrainian Army Killed or Wounded
Judging Freedom
Judging Freedom
Ray McGovern Predicts What Happens to Putin Next
"The war of attrition, wearing them down, wearing them down, is going splendidly, okay? Half the Ukrainian army has been killed or wounded."
A guest with apparent intelligence or military background claims that Ukraine has lost half its army to casualties, describing Russia's attrition strategy as proceeding successfully. The speaker suggests internal Russian debate between continuing the grinding approach versus a potential escalation to reach the Dnieper River before F-16s arrive. This assessment contradicts Western public narratives about the war's progress.

About this episode

In this episode, the host Judge interviews a guest with apparent intelligence or military expertise about the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and internal Russian strategic deliberations. The conversation centers on Ukraine's military situation ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, with the guest claiming that half of Ukraine's army has been killed or wounded and characterizing the Ukrainian counteroffensive as a disaster. The guest describes an alleged internal Russian debate between two strategic approaches: continuing the current war of attrition advocated by General Surovikin, which the guest says is working successfully, versus escalating to push to the Dnieper River before Western F-16s arrive, a position he attributes to Foreign Minister Lavrov and Defense Minister Shoigu. The discussion includes references to recent strikes on Western-supplied equipment including French tanks and a barracks in Lviv that allegedly killed 600 personnel. The guest expresses concern about Western leaders' commitment to continued military support, questioning whether they will "double down" with more weapons at the NATO summit despite what he characterizes as Ukraine's deteriorating position on the ground. He advocates for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations rather than continued fighting.

Key takeaways

More stories More from Judging Freedom