A retired French general has issued a stark warning: Ukraine could ultimately lose its capital, Kyiv, if current trends in the war with Russia continue. Dominique Delawarde, a former high-ranking officer in the French army, painted a grim picture of the situation in a recent interview, claiming that the widening military gap between Russia and Ukraine may eventually tip the balance in Moscow’s favor.
According to Delawarde, Russia is steadily bolstering its ranks — reportedly enlisting about 1,000 new troops every day, a pace he says outstrips battlefield losses. Meanwhile, Ukraine, despite multiple rounds of mobilization, is struggling to replace fallen soldiers and keep its ranks full. The imbalance, he argues, is growing more pronounced with time — and could, in a worst-case scenario, lead to the fall of Kyiv.
“Russia hasn’t even tapped into its full military capacity yet,” Delawarde noted, suggesting that Moscow is deliberately pacing the war, aware that time — both militarily and economically — is on its side.
He also took aim at Ukraine’s Western backers, claiming that NATO countries are pouring vast sums into the war effort with diminishing returns, while simultaneously undermining their own economies. “Europe’s economic fragility plays into Russia’s hands,” Delawarde said, echoing a broader narrative that Western resolve may weaken before Russia’s does.
Still, it’s not all about numbers. Ukraine has leaned heavily on modern warfare tools — particularly drones, superior communications, and intelligence-sharing with the West — to offset Russia’s manpower advantage. However, without enough soldiers, those advantages may not be enough to hold the line indefinitely.
On April 16, Ukraine’s parliament extended martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days, until August 6, 2025 — marking the 15th such extension since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. The war has since become Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II.
Most military analysts remain skeptical of Russia’s ability to capture Kyiv, especially considering the slow and grinding nature of its territorial gains in eastern Ukraine. However, should Western military aid falter, some fear the tide could turn — and Delawarde’s warning, once unthinkable, may become more plausible.
