Ukrainian vs. Russian Special Forces
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The Renew Democracy Initiative, in collaboration with New Debate and General Ben Hodges, brings you a unique look into Ukrainian special operations during the Russian Invasion. General Hodges is joined by his friend and Retired US Major General Mike Repass. Major General Repass was the former Commanding General of Special Operations Command Europe, where he was responsible for developing and training special forces in Ukraine and other allied countries. Repass offers essential insights into how US training and preparation have contributed to Ukraine's stunning military success and the robustness of its government coordination and leadership.
General Repass helps explain the genealogy of Ukraine's special forces. Some reside under the Ministry of Defense under the Special Operations Command, such as the Special Operations Capable Force known as "the GUR." GUR conducts intelligence-driven operations. Next, there are special forces units operating under the Ministry of Interior, known as SBU Alpha. SBU Alpha is the successor to the KGB, the central security apparatus in the former Soviet Union. This SBU variant of Ukraine's Special Forces is equivalent to the FBI in the United States, with the addition of a formidable paramilitary force.
General Repass speaks about his involvement with NATO and its role in training Ukrainian special forces, stating that NATO's programming has been focused within the Ministry of Defense under its Special Operations Command. Nations such as the US, UK, Poland, and Lithuania coordinate exercises through an organizational and logistics structure known as the Multinational Special Forces Operations Advisory Team (MSAT). Other multinational efforts, such as the Joint Multinational Training Group Ukraine, an effort General Hodges was directly involved in, played an important role in strengthening Ukraine's military.
General Hodges has always sensed that the Russian rear is insecure, specifically in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Although these oblasts are under Russian control, the idea that the entire population supports the Russian military is wholly fabricated. General Repass notes that in addition to internal security risks, Russian Special Forces, also known as "Spetsnaz," have failed to live up to the capabilities that Ukrainian forces have achieved.
General Repass gives us an idea of the widespread nature of small resistance movements within Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. He specifically points to Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv, where resistance forces were chipping away at railroad bridges, crossing points, and footbridges--all crucial points on Russia's logistics line. President Zelensky has recognized the value that these smaller resistance movements have had on Ukraine's ability to wage a successful asymmetric war and has even called on many of them to assist Ukrainian forces in certain offensive operations.
Presented by:
Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges. United States Army
With:
Major General (Retired) Mike Repass. U.S. Army Special Forces
Filmed and Edited by:
Dan Poole
Sound Design by:
JD Evans
VFX by:
Smith Robinson Multimedia
Produced by:
Matt Dreher
Cort Kristensen
Dan Poole
Executive Producers:
Uriel Epshtein
Noor Greene
Additional Graphics:
Gabriel Strobel
Additional Writing:
Sohan Mewada
Licensed Archive by:
Pond 5
Planet Labs
Licensed Music by:
Audio Network
Fair Use:
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
© 2022 Renew Democracy Initiative4
All rights reserved.
Always a pleasure to see General Hodges. Hearing Maj. General Repass recognize not only the strength of Ukraine's people but particularly its leadership and that it's something for the US and Western Allies to study and admire really set the tone. We fight for democracy with excellence, resilience and creativity as our weapon. Without those distinctions, despotism rules.
Democracy is vital!!!!! This is a NATO sponsored channel by the way......
I appreciate your insight sir. I live in Colorado and I don't know who to call to beg&plead for bigger weapons for Ukraine.
Keep trying!!!! They need nukes!!!!!
Just write a letter to your US congressman and senator.
@@daviddoran3673😂😂
Ruski bot..
Watching Mother Russia wilt, rot and fall apart. Again.🎉😂
Loved the Bridge of Spies location, Sir and really appreciate the attention given to the intelligence and security forces of Ukraine 🇺🇦. An essential part of a very successful military and often left in the shadows out of necessity, so it means a lot when they are recognized. Thanks for the regular reports.
General Hodges is my most trusted source of information.
Out of all these TH-cam characters, he stands head and shoulders in regards to integrity and bona fides.
He knows what he's talking about. No hyperbole.
Listen to a real American officer, that knows what he's talking about, colonel Douglas McGregor.
LOL, great update General Ben. We really appreciate the added insights and information as we wait expectantly for the next Ukrainian victory in this unwarranted attack upon the civilized world.
If murdering 11 Russian prisoners is a victory then you got one today......it's on video. Pure Democracy......
@@daviddoran3673 Let's be clear;
from your numerous comments on this page you are prolly a paid employee of the Kremlin. Your statements give you away. You are looking for a fight to affect the algorithm and negate the good side of this content. Run home little boy or girl, or whatever you are. Your morals and values are detestable and you are found out.
There should be an epic special edition of Command & Conquer with Ben as the General.
Really appreciate the Generals time and thoughts. Thank you Sir
My last position in the Austrian Army was an OR-5 at Jägerschule Saalfelden, my position was mountaineering and skiing instructor.
This was back in the late 90's, we were hosting the European military winter championships.
I remember the team from their elite artic speznaz troops based in Murmansk being of very dubious quality, a couple of athletes, a couple with some military skills, the rest mainly drank a lot....
with such terrible equipment that we furnished them from our stores so that they could even compete properly.
Your Russophobic bias towards the Spetsnaz is similar to the attitude of the 3 Ukrainian soldiers who massacred 11 Russian POW's today.....on video.
@@daviddoran3673 You must have missed what Russian soldiers have been doing to the whole of Ukraine for 8+ months now. 1,000s of innocent Ukrainians murdered, raped, tortured. There's a reason most of the world loathes Russia.
@@daviddoran3673 Seems more like you have an agenda and he doesn't...
@@daviddoran3673 Thats ridiculous, OP just told his experience with Russian special forces. Just because it was negative doesn't mean he was being russiophobic and nothing about it was even close to wanting to massacre POWs.
@@fishcane1 honestly, yes I was surprised.
I attributed the performance I witnessed to the terrible state of the Russian Army in the 90's, this was after the 1st Chechen war, a time when fighter pilots in Russia were breeding pigs to make ends meet.
I actually thought their reforms of 2008, 2014 and 2020 had really achieved something.
I also thought their performance in Syria was indicative of those reforms.
Oh man how wrong I was....
skip the static effects please( audio)
Awesome topics and knowledge. ( as always ). thanks !!
appreciate the work and thanks for all yall are doing
Very instructive interview with Gen. Repass, albeit brief.
I'm of the opinion that the Ukraine General staff also benefited greatly in training assistance since 2014. Seems their plan for TDF deployment in the early days of the northern front was key to preventing the Russians establishing a major air bridge at Hostomel airport. Only recently have accounts been related to how massive that airborne attack was.
Very large helicopter and transport sorties in which the Ukrainians virtually annihilated the VDV battalion in the air. Add the TDF ambushes and small hunter- killer units work.
Another aspect not often mentioned is the Russian training and doctrine Ukrainian soldiers learned. Having knowledge of that play book was like looking ones opponents cards and thoughts. Synthesizing that with Western/NATO restructuring has proven to be immensely effective against ground force and to the extent air superiority was denied to the invaders.
Your opening scene on the Bridge of Spies evoked a smile and the thought, "So that's what the bridge in Saint Jane's Park looks like", mentioned in so many Cold War espionage novels. Choice I guess was in keeping with tradecraft, non-descript with good sight lines.
Well present, thank you General Hodges...yet again.
always interesting and informative . Keep in up and thank you
When I hear such high level, highly capable and experienced war experts talk of being inspired by, impressed with, and suggest WE can learn, from the UKRAINIANS....I myself am totally impressed and in awe of these people, their millitary and their leadership. Their fighting spirit, courage, bravery and patriotism is second to NONE!
SLAVA UKRAINI HEROIAM SLAVA!
GOD BLESS UKRAINE!
Ready to rumble with BEN HODGES
I would be interested to hear more discussion about why people like Gen. Milley seem to be placing light but public pressure on Ukraine to begin openly discussing diplomacy.
The stated objective for that is to demonstrate that it's not Ukraine holding up peace, but I don't think there's any allied leader that doesn't understand that the real roadblocks to peace are Russia's territorial ambitions and brutal warfighting tactics. Is there something behind his comments that isn't publicly understood, because from a strategic point of view they don't make any sense to me.
For example, do his comments say more about some military leaders' (shortsighted) concerns over having X number of shells in our stockpiles, or some misguided jealousy that these defense dollars are being poured into Ukraine rather than into military projects here? Those are the only semi-rational reasons I can see military officials making public comments like this that seem to lack strategic coherency.
We should be willing to have a cold winter and pay a couple dollars more for gas if the Ukrainians are willing to freeze out in the trenches.
Very helpful interview Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Thanks, this was very informative. You often hear a lot about the Russian Special forces, but they really have not been very effective and it seams that they are engaged in roles that would be better suited to regular infantry. In the early start of the war, when they tried to take an airport with multiple helicopters and I their special units, they were repelled and help off for some time. It looks to me like they just were not as special as they should have been.
Perhaps they'll get real special when they see today's atrocity video......
They were used incorrectly, if they were a bit more coordinated and used correctly, they could have been very effective.
If Ukraine are so effective and technical why not give them F16, Abrams tank, patriot air defense, atacms, etc.? west and nato afraid to show strength vs. Putin?
@@SteiBond No need for that at this point in time. NATO is concerned that, due to the terrible performance of the Russian conventional military forces in Ukraine, the Russians might employ nuclear weapons to attempt to slow down or reverse the setbacks(or full destruction) the Russians would suffer if Ukraine was given F16's and Abrams tanks.
@@c2ccontracting47 defense vs Russia air missile landing on Ukraine civilians would hurt Putin feelings? Are you serious?
you continue to bring new perspectives. thx
Unfortunately, i am not optimistic about any decisions taken in Kremlyn. Russian forces will not withdraw by political means. They have to be heavily and constantly pressed by the Ukranians. Recent developments, targeting civilian infrastructure with missiles, indicates that Russian command takes the war into a new level. Due to lack of appropriate weapons, Ukraine can not respond to such actions. Think we will see more heavy borbardments in the next month or two.
Greetings from Jacksonville Florida USA. I was just a reserve infantry platoon leader back in the 70s, so I look up to these guys. Our military is the most capable and admirable institution in our entire country. So glad that they are on our side!
Thanks for the interview. Always look forward to your videos, sir. Bridge of Spies, eh? Do you know how to set a scene or what?
Effective is not what I would describe the current bumbling around in minefields.
Warriors VS Drunk Bears.
Thanks Much !
"From a location TBD" Gotta keep that operational security! :-)
Great information, spoiled by the VFX. I ended up focusing on when the static was going to hit again, rather that what was being conveyed.
Thank you!
nice work
Without the military jargon, I break it down. A special force is designed to do a specific task or a limited set of tasks.
In Vietnam, a VC or NVA team would be trained to penetrate a barb wire perimeter. A separate team would be trained to tunnel into the center of position and then fight from inside the position to the barb wire perimeter.
The Green Berets are trained to organize local forces. Delta Force had as one of its initial tasks to attack airliners.
The Russian special forces were designed to a task based upon imitating a US special forces doing one task, but they are used for multiple tasks. The first usage was in Afghanistan to overthrow the existing Communist government. And, they trained in the fashion for the same task since then and been used in tasks better suited to regular troops.
If you take highly trained, highly compensated and well equipped troops and continuously use them, you wear down the resource. Years ago, in fact many years ago, the calculation was that it cost $1 million a year to have on Navy Seal available for action. When you keep using those assets, you need to replace them.
Russia didn't have like 70 fire missions around the world like the US did. They only had to bring in trained SF people to attack other people within Russia to preserve the status quo. The Russian involvement in Syria (external fighting outside Russia) came years later and the tactics were Soviet era (called it WW2 tactics) . So, even in Syria, experienced Russian troops were not used as SF people even though they had that designation. After retirement, the so-called SF troops went to work for the Wagner Group.
After 8 months of fighting in the Ukraine, reflect on how many of these retired SF troops in the Wagner Group still exist Also think about Russia stripping regular army instructors from their duties and sending them to the Ukraine to fight!
During the Vietnam War, the US was rotating wounded enlisted men back to basic training companies as drill instructors and sergeants to impart their experiences. Russia is not doing that, much less training people they are mobilizing and sending the front lines within a week or two. A disaster is looming.
Thank you, General Hodges & General Repass!
Impressive, as always.
Thank you, Gen Hodges for the great work youre doing... Great discussion on special forces.
Sweden should privide both JAS 39 Gripen and 24 Archers, that is not in use at the moment
Ben as always top quality insights. A general query; is there a way to mobilize your channel to become active on very special exceptional needs in UA army and provide cash to move stuff?
I found your podcast very informative indeed and also found it interesting that a high ranking US military man would state that the US can learn a lot from the Ukrainian military. My belief is you have a hybrid of sorts regarding the Ukrainian military. Some soldiers were enlisted in the Russian military before 2014, and after 2014, had special forces training from the NATO countries that were mentioned. The UK military that trained many Ukraine soldiers has said they were impressed with both their work ethic and their ability to learn how to operate sophisticated, technical weaponry. Presently, Ukraine has imployed the Western hierarchy of authority within the ranks. Sargents have much more authority then their Russian countrrparts. The command authority within the Russian military is strictly vertical and rather inflexible.
My hope is that the US wakes-up and gives this impressive Ukrainian military the wherewithal to win this war. As been mentioned by you and other military officers on other podcasts: Give the Ukrainians F-15's and F16's and ATACMS Missiles. That would probably do it!
The longer this war goes on, the more it will negatively impact world economies.
I think the idea is for the Russians to pack up and just leave rather then complete capture or destruction of the Russian army. The reason? I think the west is afraid if the Russians are captured in mass that it will put Putin over the edge. They want the army to go home and Putin to be thrown out. A stupid plan. Putin will never leave that way. Washington is playing a Vietnam strategy (diplomatic) rather then a military one.
@@jeep146 Got to tell you I'm not a fan of political solutions, particularly in relation to Ukraine. Zelensky strikes me as a man who will not be pushed around by the US. He'll compromise with the US, but won't put Ukraine at a disadvantage.
Sir , Make a run for POTUS we need a guy like you
Lt. General Ben Hodges I Thank You for your Service Sir, I say this every time I meet a Veteran or anyone who has served to keep our Nation and all Free Nations around the World Safe. I have listened too you Sir on several occasions and again I Thank You for Supporting Ukraine.
There is in my opinion no Motivation factor stronger than Self Preservation or Survival, something that these recent Russian mobilized troops are recognizing and beginning to surrender rather than be killed for no good reason. Promises of money is no good if you are killed. Ukraine continues to offer these untrained and un-supplied troops an option to live. That old time saying "The Truth Will Set You Free" is not true in Russia, you will be set to Prison for 3 simple words, 'No To War'.
Indeed, very informative. I understand that not much can be said about the SOF in Ukraine right now, understandibly. Nevertheless, always nice to hear Mr. Hodges. Thanks for the video!
Top dude
you forgot to mention the police unit kord analogue swat
Doing an Ethan Hunt meets George Smiley there, Mr Hodges. Excellent! Wonderful insights into the ground war, as ever. 👏👏👏
Whoever is editing this really needs to lose the very weird transitions, looks like you've used smooth cut between EVERY shot, why?? Just do a normal cut, these are incredibly distracting, as is the sound effect that you use for the graphical elements, it's way too loud, knock it down at least 6dB next time
It really is fascinating to live in a time when a war can be almost perfectly documented. There are positives and negatives to that reality. But one of the positives is you get a real sense of what's actually happening on the ground and where the war is headed. It cuts right through a lot of the propaganda aspects inherent in every war.
I love to hear stories of SOF work. Of course, the more we know now, the less effective they are probably being - atleast in OpSec terms. However, I'm really looking forward to hearing more details of SOF work after the Ukrainian victory. People will be writing about and learning from this conflict for generations - and I think after they have one this war, the Ukrainians will be training the rest of NATO!
Slava Ukraine!!!
Encouraging how effective our support has been for Ukraine. An in depth examination of how our support for Afghanistan and for Iraq would be interesting
Great info but the video editing is annoying and a distraction.
Interesting. What's also interesting is that high level leadership is different as well. What difference are there on strategic and, yes, tactical level? Russians seems to be blundering from top generals and all the way down to, possibly, even non-coms.
Lets add the the list, Himars, F35, Apache Helo, Air craft carriers and the list goes on and on and on.........ohh Missile attach subs we own 4 that have 1200 Cruise Missiles LOL
Well I'd say they weren't trained very well in hostage rescue. They kill the targets and the hostages.
Hi these sound effects adds nothing, they just annoys and disrespectful for the speakers
Agreed. Incredibly distracting. The guy is talking quietly, and then a big burst of static because something minor changed on the screen. I put up with it only because of the info. Otherwise I would unsubscribe. Please get rid of these sound effects!
Agreed, that and visual glitch effects are completely unnecessary and jarring. Keep the clean design with simple transitions and you're golden.
Word!
Them statics are annoying a.f.!
Hope you're right, boys!
Ben, is there anything you can say to General Milley that might convince him to not suggest that Ukraine should surrender their country to the Russian invaders? He seems wobbly in the knees for winning this war. As a vet, I find it hard to believe he made it to his current rank.
Very dificult to understand...
The only real tactical success the Russians had initially was securing the bridges across the Dnipro river in the South that led to them initially taking & occupying Kherson
For the love of god, can you please stop with the glitching sound effect after the intro!? It is incredibly distracting! I want to hear what the experts have to say, not being constantly poked by a rusty nail in my ears.
Not only NATO training but years of living under the GRU and FSB so they know more about how their enemy thinks and works. They know what the response will be before they act.
General, curious why hasn't Ukraine been trying to use the javelins and stugnas against the drones? 🇺🇸🇺🇦
Do you use a fork to eat soup?
@@Walterwaltraud is it chicken noodle soup?
@@hillbilyjed1318 Only two noodles in a large bowl. Does that answer the question?
Wrong tool. A hammer is not a screwdriver...
@@Walterwaltraud you think it would be easier to get two noodles outta a bowl of chicken liquid with a spoon rather than a fork? only 2 noodles I'd drank them out. 😉
I was talking about those slow, loud Iranian drones
@@hillbilyjed1318 Yes, and I used an analogy. Those still move at 80 m/s. And are dirt cheap, as opposed to the Javelin, where the stock runs low. With the Stugna-P it's really hard to hit them, much smaller than a hovering Mi24.
You need the right tool for the right purpose...
Yep if your sent into the shit better to have those two doing the sending .
Slava Ukraini!!!
Wow, I did not know top US Special Force Gen. instructed UAF! Wondeful indeed and very well done! USA
Ukraine have some top knock Snipers, I heard the shot 18 Russians on Thursday. Don’t know how many died ? Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
Ukrainians are the best! Thanks to the allies!
The best at murdering POW's......
Russian special forces are really good at blocking detachments as are the Kaderovites. They have no eaqual at this vital task, on Earth. I heard the PLA is good at this too, but definately, experts are the Russians.
Penal battalions too...another vital mission....they have no peers.
Your post is definitively NOT what the "NATO is a democratic defensive alliance" believers on this channel want to read! !!!
No to neo Nazis I stand with Russia it has the right to defend itself
❤
😂😂😂😂😂
CNN generals.
Well ,the Russians tried to do a Ranger/82nd forced entry type Air assault operation with their VDV at Hostomel but they got slaughtered....
Yes, that tends to happen to SOF units during real war, unlike when you are shooting goat herders. The 2nd Ranger Battalion was literally annihilated twice during WW2, once at Pointe Du Hoc, where they got their asses kicked so bad they lost the majority of their fighting forces and started executing random French people, and another time at Hill 400 in the Hurtgen Forest, where they suffered over 50% casualties. SOF units aren’t super soldiers, they are a light infantry force, and they usually take such awful bearings that they have to be rebuilt after large offensives.
🇷🇺🇷🇺
Solid, Bro....
Love this guy brings hope and order
Very informative, retired Naval Aviator. Keep up the good work sir.