Former NATO Commander Wesley Clark Warns Zelenskyy Must ‘Be Prepared to Fight Every Street, Every Block in Kyiv’
Former NATO Commander and retired Army General Wesley Clark said in the early hours of Thursday morning that he is “hopeful” the Ukrainian military will be able to prevent the Russian invasion from reaching Kyiv, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants regime change and Russian forces will be targeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and “his top people” in the city.
Air raid sirens echo in the streets of Kyiv Thursday as Ukrainian civilians have clogged streets with massive traffic jams trying to escape the city. Explosions have already rocked several cities in Ukraine, including Kyiv, and dramatic footage has been breaking on social media and on-air.
CNN’s Michael Holmes was live from Lviv, Ukraine on Thursday (overnight in U.S. time zones) and spoke with CNN analyst Gen. Clark about the rapidly evolving situation as Russian forces have invaded from multiple directions.
Holmes asked Clark what he makes of Russia’s big plan so far, and what tactics might be expected.
Clark said it is a “very logical unfolding of this attack,” which is coming from multiple directions, beginning with precision strikes on anti-aircraft sites and command and control centers that “will continue during the day and maybe into the night.”
“At the same time, the Russians have launched from the north a ground assaults into the direction of Kyiv,” said Clark. “Now, Kyiv is so close that it’s time for — and I hope President Zelenskyy, now he’s declared martial law, gets those barricades up. Get the civil defense out there.”
“Be prepared to fight every street, every block in Kyiv,” he warned.
“Because if you don’t, once those Russian troops get in there, you won’t be able to organize that defense,” Clark explained. “I’m hopeful that the Ukrainian forces will be able to prevent the Russians from ever getting to Kyiv. But any sensible military planner would tell you that you might have to have defense in depth. And the final ring of that defense is the defense of Kyiv itself.”
Clark then gave the grave assessment of the Russian intention for the fall of Kyiv.
“I believe the Russians are going to Kyiv. They want a regime change. They’re targeting Mr. Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy and his top people. We know they got the hit lists out there. So this is the start of it,” he said.
“This is a desperate time for Ukraine,” Clark said. “All the world is watching and pulling for Ukraine.”
He also said he hopes “we do provide assistance to Ukraine to help them stay in the fight.”
In a perhaps grimly frank assessment, Clark even brought up the idea of nuclear weapons.
“Russia always anticipates a NATO involvement, and Russia plans to use some unconventional weapons, including a nuclear weapon if necessary, to frighten off NATO,” the retired General added rather bluntly. “So this is no joke. This is a real confrontation.”
Clark closed by echoing the warning of the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.N., saying “This is an attack on the world order by Mr. Putin. Well it can’t be answered by just standing aside. So I hope America’s European allies and our many friends in Europe who are listening to this broadcast understand that this attack on Ukraine is directed at them and their nations. Their leadership must respond now.”
Watch the clip above, via CNN.
