Vittert: ‘We can’t confirm’ success of Ukraine counterattack
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(NewsNation) — Russia’s front line in parts of Ukraine is collapsing as Kyiv’s forces continue to push invading troops back even further.
NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert” host, Leland Vittert, joined “Rush Hour” Monday to give context to the news of these gains, which he says have yet to be confirmed.
“You’re hearing a lot of excitement over these gains and certainly it seems there’s something to be celebrated but we can’t independently confirm what territory was and was not taken,” Vittert said.
And while Vittert admits that the “tide” for Ukraine does indeed seem to have “shifted,” he says it is unclear to what extent that is true.
“It’s unclear how significant any of these games really are. There was a number of POWs that the Ukrainians took and the Russians allegedly left behind a lot of equipment and ammunition. Whether that’s anything more than just a good couple of days of publicity for the Ukrainians or will actually make a strategic difference, we’re still a long way from being able to figure out,” Vittert said.
As for reports that Russian officials are calling for Putin to resign, Vittert maintains that Putin is not deterred and, if anything, those bold enough to speak out should be the ones concerned.
“You have to wonder exactly what the life expectancy of those officials are. Over the past couple of months since the war in Ukraine, the death rate for people who dare question Vladimir Putin seems to be going up by a shocking percentage,” Vittert said. He noted the death of Ravil Maganov — the chairman of Russia’s second-largest oil producer Lukoil, who died after falling from a hospital window in Moscow.
Watch the rest of the breakdown above.