Speaking to GB News on Sunday, British Professor Anthony Glees discussed the state of Russian forces in Ukraine and said the invading nation could be headed for a “significant defeat”. Glees is a “nationally and internationally published expert on European affairs… and security”, and currently serves as an emeritus professor at the University of Buckingham. “We and the Americans estimate that 75,000 Russian soldiers were either killed or wounded,” the professor said. “It’s a hell of a lot. And 80 percent of active Russian forces are now bogged down in eastern Ukraine. Putin was hoping to win this war in a few days, and what’s actually happened is he’s grinding, not toward a stalemate but a defeat. It seems that if the battle of Kherson goes in Ukraine’s favor, Russia will have suffered a significant defeat.” Russian forces are “obviously in a lot of trouble” in Ukraine as they face mounting casualties, according to a security expert. Above is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mikhail Klimentyev/Ria Novosti/AFP via Getty Images Kherson Oblast is located in Southern Ukraine, located along the Black Sea and borders the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Given its strategic value, Kherson was one of the first Ukrainian provinces to come under Russian control. occupation after the invasion began earlier this year. In recent weeks, however, Ukrainian forces have redoubled their efforts to retake the province from Russia. On Thursday, the UK Ministry of Defense said Ukraine was “gathering momentum” in the fight to retake Kherson and used US-supplied missiles to take out several bridges that Russian forces had used to bring in supplies. Continuing his conversation with GB News, Glees cited another recent report by Richard Moore, the head of Britain’s MI6, who suggested that Russia may be “running out of steam”. “The head of MI6 is fit to predict what’s going to happen,” added Glees. “He said Russia was going to invade Ukraine when many doubted it. We have to listen very carefully to what he’s saying — and the Russians have to listen to what he’s saying, and I hope they will.” Newsweek has reached out to Russian officials for comment. Hanna Shelest, security studies program director at the Ukrainian foreign policy and security think tank Prism, told Newsweek that Ukrainian forces are not prioritizing any particular province over others, but are focusing on the most logical targets. “All areas are important,” Celeste said. “We’re not prioritizing one way or the other, it’s just where we can do it right now.”
