Welcome to Pushback. I'm Aaron Mate.

Joining me is Richard Sokwa.

He is professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent.

His books include frontline, crisis in the borderlands, and his latest, Deception, Russia Gate, and the New Cold War.

Richard Sokwa, good to see you again.

Welcome.

It's been a while since we spoke on pushback about what's going on in Ukraine,

so I'm just wondering at this point your assessment of where we're at when it comes to the war

inside Ukraine between Ukraine and Russia.

I mean, I suppose the first thing to say is a short assessment of the military situation.

Obviously, I'm no military expert, but quite clearly the talk of Ukrainian victory with almost

the smell of victory almost seems to be in the year.

And that was obviously because the Kharkov offensive in September,

the offensive now around Hirson, which had been promised throughout the summer, is actually taking place.

However, I think that this gave certain illusions of the fact that ultimately Russia was on the run.

This certainly is not the case.

We do know that there's the partial mobilisation announced on the 21st of September.

I mean, the word partial is conditional because quite clearly through that announced 300,000

reservists to be called up, you know, maybe more, maybe less.

So far, they're saying that the actual mobilisation is complete, 240,000.

By the time they're trained, not necessarily sent to the front, some will be, of course,

but they will be able to take back positions, certainly perhaps, in particular, in the far

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