On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses discusses withdrawal of Russian and Wagner mercenary forces from Bakhmut, loss of four Russian aircraft in a single day, whether Ukraine’s offensive has already started, how new weapons delivered to Kyiv like the Anglo-French Storm Shadow precision cruise missile and unmanned strike drones will change the upcoming offensive and shape Russian actions, outlook for Yevgeny Prigozhin in the wake of disclosure the Wagner boss proposed revealing the location of Russian forces to Ukraine in exchange for averting attacks on his mercenaries, criticism that Russia’s defense ministry is too slow moving; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses the rising concern of a US debt default and its impact on defense contractors, analysis of NATO’s new defense spending and planning approach, outlook for the Biden administration’s budget request, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.
