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‘Decrepit’ to ‘effective’: ex-U.S. adviser on Ukraine’s forces

Published

4 years ago

March 30, 2022

Reuters

A retired U.S. military colonel who helped train and reform Ukraine’s military following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 told Reuters on Saturday (March 26) that Ukraine’s military has gone from a ‘decrepit’ state, to becoming effective at fending off Russian advances in major Ukrainian cities.

Retired U.S. Army colonel Liam Collins has seen first-hand the Ukrainian military transform from what he calls a ‘decrepit’ force into an effective operation capable of fending off Russian advances.

“Ukraine’s military in 2014 was decrepit, it really didn’t have a lot of training capability, they weren’t effective at the tactical level.

So, it wasn’t a surprise to see how poorly they performed at that time given their level of training.”

In 2014, Russian forces were able to seize parts of Ukraine with relative ease.

Collins, a career special-forces soldier, served as the executive officer for the Defense Department’s special adviser to Ukraine working to reform that nation’s military establishment in 2016, at the end of the Obama administration.

One success, Collins said, was changing the Ukrainian command structure, giving junior leaders the ability to make battlefield decisions, rather than a top-down command approach.

“It allows them to take initiative on the battlefield, right? You might be given some orders, ‘Go take this hill,’ for example, and if you can’t adjust on that, you’re just going to keep running up the hill into the hornet’s nest.

You have to empower leaders to make those kind of quick decisions, but it also requires a trained professional military to do that.'”

Collins said the Russian military appears to have taken a less flexible approach at the tactical level.

“If you have a conscript army, which a lot of the Russians are, you’re not going to be capable of executing that same kind of discipline initiative at the tactical level.”

Not to be overlooked, Collins said – Ukrainians’ fierce hold on their independence.”They don’t want to be part of Russia. They like their civil liberties. They like a higher standard of living.

And so that’s why they’re going to fight so hard.”

Via our partners at Reuters

Related Topics:Politics trending ukraine

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Epstein hearing explodes over redactions and hidden names

Lawmakers accuse AG Pam Bondi of hiding Epstein-linked names amid congressional hearing, questioning redactions related to billionaire Wexner.

Published

15 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Lawmakers accuse AG Pam Bondi of hiding Epstein-linked names amid congressional hearing, questioning redactions related to billionaire Wexner.

US lawmakers have accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of withholding key names linked to Jeffrey Epstein during a fiery congressional hearing. The confrontation centred on redactions within investigative files that critics argue should have been fully disclosed under federal law.

Representative Thomas Massie pressed the Justice Department over blacked-out sections, specifically questioning references to billionaire Leslie Wexner. Bondi maintained that Wexner’s name was released promptly once flagged, defending the department’s handling of the documents.

Frustration boiled over as lawmakers challenged the extent of the redactions, leading to an extraordinary moment in the hearing as Bondi pushed back and praised President Donald Trump while standing by the department’s review process.

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Angus Taylor moves to challenge Sussan Ley for party leadership

Angus Taylor resigns from Coalition frontbench to challenge Sussan Ley amid Liberal Party divisions and declining poll support.

Published

16 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Angus Taylor resigns from Coalition frontbench to challenge Sussan Ley amid Liberal Party divisions and declining poll support.

Angus Taylor has resigned from the Coalition frontbench to launch a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley, declaring he lacks confidence in her ability to rebuild support for the Liberal Party. His move sets up a high-stakes internal contest that could reshape the party’s direction.

Supporters of Mr Taylor are expected to push for a meeting by Friday to trigger a potential leadership spill, intensifying pressure on Ms Ley. Moderate MPs are calling on her to demand clear proof of numbers before any ballot takes place.

With the Liberals trailing in the polls and facing mounting questions over strategy, both camps are outlining starkly different visions for the party’s future as tensions rise in Canberra.

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Iran buries nuclear site entrances amid rising tensions with the U.S.

Published

1 day ago

February 11, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Satellite images reveal that Iran has buried all three tunnel entrances at its Isfahan nuclear complex. Analysts say the move mirrors defensive preparations taken before U.S. airstrikes devastated the facility last year, with no vehicle or personnel activity visible around the entrances.

The burial appears aimed at limiting damage from potential airstrikes and complicating any ground raid targeting enriched uranium stored in the underground facility. Experts suggest equipment or materials may have been moved into the tunnels for protection, though this remains unconfirmed.

The fortification comes amid ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions. President Trump has demanded Iran curb its nuclear program, warning of military action, while Tehran insists halting uranium enrichment is unacceptable. Recent indirect talks in Oman showed little progress toward a new deal.