Retired Military Colonel Douglas Macgregor has made headlines over the previous a number of weeks for his controversial feedback about Russia's ongoing battle in Ukraine.

Macgregor, who served as a senior advisor below former President Donald Trump, has regularly appeared on Fox Information applications, together with Tucker Carlson's present, to debate Russia's invasion. He has acquired backlash from each Democrats and Republicans for seeming to take a stance favorable towards Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. In a number of interviews, Macgregor has confidently predicted that the battle will finish with Russia "annihilating" Ukrainian forces and successful the battle. One such interview, with Carlson, was aired on Russia's state-controlled TV.

Macgregor additionally stated that Russian forces have been"too light" within the early phases of the Ukraine invasion, and referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "puppet." These feedback prompted Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney to explain Macgregor as a part of the "Putin wing of the GOP."

Macgregor has additionally come below fireplace in current weeks after media shops resurfaced antisemitic remarks he made final yr, during which he referred to Jewish individuals as "rootless cosmopolitans" who "don't have any connection to the nation," referring to the U.S.

Because the battle in Ukraine continues into its fourth week, this is a take a look at among the feedback Macgregor has made for the reason that begin of the battle.

"If they do not give up within the subsequent 24 hours, I think Russia will in the end annihilate them."

Chatting with Fox Information three days after the Ukraine invasion started, Macgregor instructed that the battle was already nearing an finish:

"The battle in jap Ukraine is de facto virtually over, the entire Ukrainian troops there have been largely surrounded and reduce off. You've got a focus down within the Southeast of 30 or 40,000 of them, and if they do not give up within the subsequent 24 hours, I think Russia will in the end annihilate them."

Macgregor added that he believed Zelensky wanted to "negotiate the very best deal he can get," even when meaning surrendering elements of jap Ukraine to Russian forces and declaring neutrality in Western Ukraine. Later within the interview, Macgregor claimed that Western media is working to "demonize" Putin and Russia, and added that the U.S. ought to keep out of the battle—and keep away from sending any assist to Ukrainian forces. Since then the U.S. has introduced plentiful navy assist to Ukraine.

"We have to do not forget that Ukraine is fourth from the underside of 158 international locations on this planet that's corrupt. Russia is maybe three or 4 locations above them. This isn't the liberal democracy, the shining instance everybody says it's," he stated.

"I see no motive why we must always combat with Russians over one thing they've been speaking about for years. Extra vital, the inhabitants [in Ukraine] is indistinguishable from their very own."

That interview in the end prompted Fox Information nationwide safety correspondent Jennifer Griffin to fact-check Macgregor and say he sounded "like an apologist for Putin."

"The primary 5 days Russian forces I believe frankly have been too light."

Days later, Macgregor appeared in an interview with Fox Enterprise' Stuart Varney and claimed that Russian forces had been too light of their preliminary assaults.

"The primary 5 days Russian forces I believe frankly have been too light," he stated. "They've now corrected that. So, I might say one other 10 days this needs to be fully over."

"I believe Zelensky is a puppet, and he's placing large numbers of his personal inhabitants in pointless threat," Macgregor added. "I do not see something heroic in regards to the man. I believe essentially the most heroic factor he might do proper now could be come to phrases with actuality. Neutralize Ukraine."

"Russia won't undergo on account of our sanctions."

On March 7, Macgregor once more appeared on Fox Information with host Tucker Carlson and continued to pushback towards any U.S. involvement within the battle.

"The sanctions will do a number of injury to us," he stated. "They don't seem to be going to make a lot distinction to Russia. China will stand with Russia. It is aware of it has to. Russia has an abundance of meals and power. China will take all of it. Russia won't undergo on account of our sanctions. Actually, it might break down the monetary system that now we have set as much as punish everybody on this planet we do not like."

This weekend, the sanctions have been described as useful "shock remedy" for "brainwashed Russians" by Andrei Kozyrev, who served as international minister below former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

"The battle is de facto over for the Ukrainians...they've been grounded to bits."

On Thursday, Macgregor informed Carlson that he believes Ukrainians have already been defeated and that each nations "are very shut proper now to a ceasefire."

"The battle is de facto over for the Ukrainians," Macgregor stated. "They've been grounded to bits. There is no query about that regardless of what we report on our mainstream media. So the true query for us at this stage is, if there may be an settlement, Tucker, are we going to dwell with the Russian individuals and their authorities? Or are we going to proceed to pursue this type of regime change dressed up as Ukrainian battle?"

Ukraine War
Retired U.S. Military Colonel Douglas Macgregor has made headlines in current weeks for his seemingly pro-Russia feedback in regards to the Ukraine battle. Right here, Ukrainian tanks transfer earlier than an assault within the Lugansk area on February 26.ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP/Getty Pictures