Former Commander US Army Europe, Analyzes Russia-Ukraine War (Full Interview)

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

Russia Attacks on Civilians

Kris Osborn

Hello, and welcome to warrior Maven, the Center for military modernization, obviously a very serious situation unfolding in the world getting more and more dire. We have some very important perspective today from a distinguished American, retired general Ben Hodges. He is the former commander of US Army Europe, so obviously knows a lot about these kinds of dynamics. 

So thank you for joining us, sir. 

The attacks on civilians, I recall writing about precision artillery and rockets, Excalibur GPS and GMLRS years ago, 2007-8 when they emerged in Iraq, and the idea of precision strikes is, of course, not only to give tactical commanders more options, but also to save lives. 

And it seems it doesn’t seem possible that Russia wouldn’t have some kind of comparable technology to some extent, yet it’s accurate to say children are being murdered. And there does appear, according to the Pentagon and news reports, to be a deliberate effort to go after civilian areas. 

General Ben Hodges

Yeah, well, you’re right, Kris. And then if your approach now is attrition and in terror to get civilians on the road you don’t need precision munitions, if you’re just lobbing rockets and artillery, into the into cities.