Retired U.S. generals and a former DIA director tell CBS Ukraine has the operational upper hand in war with Russia

Kyiv. Several retired U.S. generals and the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told CBS News that they believe Ukraine has the operational upper hand in its war with Russia, arguing that recent battlefield outcomes show Ukraine is disrupting Russian plans rather than merely holding ground.

In the interview, CBS News reported assessments from retired Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, who wrote in an email that he would “assess operationally Ukraine is winning in the context they are defeating enemy operational objectives, creating conditions for follow-on operations and preserving freedom of action.” CBS News also reported that two other retired generals agreed with Ashley’s characterization, focusing on what they described as Ukraine’s ability to outmaneuver Russia on the front lines.

CBS News said the U.S. officials’ assessment came alongside comments this week from Ukraine’s top commander, Gen. Oleksandr Syrski, who stated that Ukraine’s forces have retaken 600 square kilometers, about 370 miles, from Russia so far this year. Syrski did not specify where the gains occurred, but he said the heaviest fighting has been in Ukraine’s southeast, including areas around Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole.

The CBS News report, which framed the remarks as operational judgments rather than a complete prediction of how the war will end, also pointed to evolving Ukrainian strike capabilities. It said military experts attribute some of Ukraine’s recent successes to improvements in Ukraine’s mid-range drone capabilities, including the wider use of short-range FPV drones and, beginning in 2024, longer-range drones and cruise missiles aimed at targets well beyond Ukraine’s immediate border areas.

Ukrainian officials have previously described the purpose of these capabilities as increasing pressure on Russian forces and infrastructure, and CBS News referenced the role of drone and missile strikes in shaping battlefield effects. At the same time, reporting by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty earlier this year described Russia’s continued efforts to hit Ukraine’s energy system, leaving civilians exposed to shortages of heating and electricity even when major battlefield moves do not produce decisive territorial change. That reporting characterized the front line at various points as showing intense combat with limited geographic change, underscoring that battlefield trends and civilian conditions can move on different timelines.

The latest U.S. officials’ statements were made to CBS News and do not represent an official U.S. government finding, but they come as international attention remains fixed on both battlefield dynamics and the broader civilian impact of the conflict. Analysts and officials on all sides have continued to describe the war as a contest of operational objectives, including the ability to seize or deny ground, protect forces, and sustain follow-on activity.

For Ukraine, the immediate effect of such assessments is likely to be political and diplomatic, influencing how outside observers interpret battlefield claims and how governments weigh military support and arms delivery timelines. For Russia, the central question raised by the U.S. officials’ remarks is whether Moscow can reverse operational losses while continuing to counter Ukrainian strikes, including those targeting areas that support military operations.