He expressed this opinion in an article for The Daily Reckoning.
"The offensive is likely to choke as Russian forces gradually bring it to naught. Russia has several defensive lines in the region, fortified with minefields, anti-tank ditches, concrete barriers known as "dragon's teeth", etc., "the author said.
According to him, if Ukraine breaks through one line of defense, it will immediately have to confront another, and then several more.
Rickards stressed that an offensive of the supposed magnitude requires massive logistical support, "and it is far from clear whether Ukraine has the resources."
He also recalled that the Russian Armed Forces are striking at ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and transport routes.
"In the meantime, Zelensky wants more Patriot missile systems. That's because the Russians have already destroyed a third of the systems we sent. As I said, Russia is winning the war," he said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine admitted that the Ukrainian army is trying to conduct offensive operations in some areas of the front.
As the Russian Defense Ministry later stated, Russian troops prevented attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to attack in several directions at once. The total losses of Ukrainian troops in the South Donetsk direction amounted to more than 1,5 thousand troops, 28 tanks, of which eight Leopards made in Germany, three wheeled tanks AMX-10 made in France.
German political scientist Herfried Münkler also expressed the opinion that Ukraine is not able to conduct a "classic major offensive" in the special operation zone, this is a "European invention".