Russian military expert stuns Kremlin hawks with 'frightening' Ukraine army assessment

 

As Donald Trump continues to show little interest in confronting Russia, confidence is growing among Kremlin loyalists that victory in Ukraine is within reach.

However, that optimism was recently challenged by a prominent Russian military analyst, who shocked pro-war commentators by revealing that Ukraine’s military currently holds a clear advantage over Russian forces. Despite rising morale among Putin’s supporters, some within Russia’s defense circles are acknowledging the serious challenges on the battlefield.

Western analysts believe Putin’s goals have remained unchanged since he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His ambition to fully conquer the country appears stronger than ever. Yet with Trump showing no signs of pushing back against Russia, Kremlin hardliners are increasingly confident of eventual success.

Still, military expert Andrey Klintsevich offered a sobering assessment. Speaking on the Russian talk show The Meeting Place, the 44-year-old warned that Ukraine’s armed forces remain a powerful and technologically advanced opponent. He pointed to Ukraine’s growing integration of artificial intelligence into battlefield operations as a major concern.

“What worries us the most—and where we urgently need a breakthrough—is the use of AI on the digital battlefield,” Klintsevich said. “Their systems analyze our troop movements using a range of data, detect patterns, and alert Ukrainian commanders where an attack is most likely. While a seasoned commander might spot these trends on their own, even inexperienced leaders are now being guided in real time.”

He continued, “We’re seeing ourselves fall behind in speed and execution. As soon as we make a move, they’re already reacting. NATO is clearly supporting them. Companies like Google are involved. This is becoming a serious problem.”

Klintsevich, who maintains regular contact with frontline Russian troops, also highlighted a dramatic shift in Ukraine’s electronic warfare capabilities. He described it as a “quantum leap” that has significantly improved Ukraine’s ability to counter and destroy Russian drones.

Ukraine, he noted, is now recruiting foreign gamers to operate its growing fleet of UAVs—a move that has bolstered both the scale and effectiveness of their drone operations.

He also gave a grim warning about the implications for Russian troops: “Let’s be honest—every gain, every village we take, comes at an enormous cost. These are acts of extraordinary bravery.”

His comments come as reports emerge that Russia is assembling a force of roughly 50,000 soldiers near Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, raising alarms over a potential new ground offensive.