After Kherson: An Assessment of Ukraine’s Successful Counter-Offensive

On November 11, the Kremlin announced the completion of its retreat from the west bank of Kherson Oblast, showcasing the demolished crossings over the Dnipro River as they fled. That same day, Ukrainian forces were jubilantly welcomed into Kherson’s city center.

While a great feat, the war is far from over. As winter sets in, Russian forces are bombarding the territory they abandoned from across the river, reinforcing Melitopol and Crimea, and continuing to fight fiercely for the remainder of Khers

on region and what they still control in the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts. Meanwhile, both parties are running low on ammunition and debating whether to take a strategic pause, negotiate, or fight on.

In light of these events The Jamestown Foundation is delighted to host the in-person discussion, “After Kherson: An Assessment of Russia’s War,” featuring Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ben Hodges, Senior Advisor, Human Rights First.

A brief Q&A was held after the discussion.

Featuring 

Ben Hodges
Senior Advisor, Human Rights First; Fmr. Commanding General, US Army Europe

Moderator

Glen E. Howard
President, The Jamestown Foundation

Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges, the former Commanding General of US Army Europe, is currently a Senior Advisor to Human Rights First. General Hodges held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). He serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics; consults for several companies on Europe, NATO, and the European Union; and is co-author of the book Future War and the Defence of Europe, published by Oxford University Press.

General Hodges served in various Joint and Army Staff positions, including Chief of Plans, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea; Aide-de-Camp to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe; Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps; Director of the Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell on the Joint Staff; Chief of Legislative Liaison for the United States Army; and Commander, NATO Allied Land Command 2012-2014 in İzmir, Turkey. His last military assignment was as Commanding General, United States Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany from 2014 to 2017.

General Hodges graduated from the United States Military Academy in May 1980 and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the US Army.  After his first assignment as a Lieutenant in Garlstedt, Germany, he commanded Infantry units at the Company, Battalion, and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division, including the First Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne” in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2003-2004). His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2005-2006) and Director of Operations, Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009-2010).

He retired from the US Army in January 2018 and lives today with his wife in Frankfurt, Germany.