On Friday, when Yevgeny Prighozin released a video that took aim at senior Russian leaders and criticized the management of the war in Ukraine, it was the first in a series of extraordinary events that played out with the world watching. As forces from the Wagner Group that Prigozhin leads moved toward the city of Rostov-on-Don, seizing the Southern Military District headquarters, before beginning an advance toward Moscow and halting just 120 miles from the city, one of the people watching closely was retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.

A former commanding general of US Army Europe, the deep experience he gained from nearly four decades of military service and his nuanced understanding of both Russia and the European security landscape make him an exceptionally insightful observer of the ongoing war. He joins MWI’s John Amble on this episode of the MWI Podcast for a discussion that contextualizes the remarkable recent events in Russia and explores what comes next—specifically, how the crisis will impact the ongoing war in Ukraine.

You can listen to the full episode below, or find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast app. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe. And if you’re enjoying the MWI Podcast, please take a moment to give it a rating or leave a review.

Image credit: kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons