“Shoot yourself”, a work by Ukrainian sculptor Dmytro IV placed in the center of kyiv. Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP.
The current stage of the war in Ukraine, in which Russia is focused on trying to capture the east and south of the country, could prove as dangerous as Moscow’s first failed attempt to quickly seize major cities in the north and overthrow the government. , said this Saturday. the director of the CIA, William Burns.
The stakes are high at this stage, largely because of the president Vladimir Putin Russia is “in a frame of mind that it thinks it can’t afford to lose,” Burns said.
A mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin reading ” Brother ” broken by paint can be seen in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo by AP/Darko Vojinovic.
Burns, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, has studied Putin for decades and spoke at recent revelations about risks that the president of Russia is willing to run to control Ukraine.
“He’s convinced at this point that doubling his efforts will still allow him to thrive,” Burns said, speaking at an event in Washington sponsored by The Financial Times.
Burns repeatedly praised the intense resistance Ukraine in Russia’s aggression, arguing that Putin’s biggest mistake so far in the war is underestimating the willingness of Ukrainians to fight and their ability to defend themselves.
Burns did not discuss in detail the US intelligence provided to Ukrainians.
Senior U.S. officials said U.S. intelligence helped Ukrainian forces attack senior enemy officials and sink Russia’s flagship in the Black Sea.
But Burns said the Ukrainians increased the information they received from U.S. intelligence their own knowledge and insight.
“It’s a big mistake to underestimate the significant intelligence capabilities that Ukrainians themselves have,” Burns said.
“This is your country. They have more information than we do. “
Burns said China is closely following developments in Ukraine, both the country’s strong opposition and the economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the international community.
The Russian aggression did not undermine the president’s ambitions Xi Jinping of China controlling Taiwan, he said.
But Xi and other Chinese leaders, he added, are trying to take a closer look what lessons “pull out of Ukraine on their own ambitions and Taiwan”.
Burns said the CIA spends a lot of time focusing on China’s reaction to the war in Ukraine and Beijing’s relations with Moscow.
He suggested driving the wedge between the two countries it will not be easy.
“I will not underestimate Xi Jinping’s commitment to his cooperation with Putin’s Russia, ”Burns said.
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Source: Clarin
