- William Burns, the director of the CIA, said Putin was convinced that the “doubling down” would help Russia turn the tide in Ukraine.
- Burns said, according to CBS News, that Putin may redouble his efforts because he “doesn’t think he can afford to lose.”
- Russia has failed to make progress in the Donbass region, and reports say military morale is low.
CIA Director William Burns said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to redouble his efforts in Ukraine despite his army’s weak offensive. Per CBS News.
“I think he’s now convinced that doubling his strength will enable him to make progress,” Burns said at the FT’s Weekend Fest, CBS News reported.
Burns continued, according to CBS News, that the Russian leader is “in a state of mind that he doesn’t think he can afford to lose.”
Burns added that Putin had already “bet a lot” on the second phase of the Ukrainian offensive, which saw Russia refocus its military efforts on southern and eastern Ukraine.
Burns comments that Putin will double Reports of low morale among Russian soldiers and the Pentagon ResidentsR., last week, said his forces were “overdue.”
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is now concentrated mainly in the Donbass region. After 10 weeks, Russian forces still failed to capture any major cities.
The Ukrainian resistance is severe with Analysts tell BBC News The Ukrainian military operation turns into a successful counterattack.
Burns said Putin’s “biggest mistake” during the invasion was “underestimating the Ukrainians.”
Burns said, according to CBS News, that the Russian leader is now trying to “adapt some lessons from the failures of the first phase.”
Some Western officials expect this Putin will make a big announcement on May 9designed to show Russia’s power before the symbolic D-Day military parade.
there Reports He intends to officially declare all-out war on Ukraine, which Russia has so far referred to as a “special military operation”. else Reports Suggest that Putin may introduce general mobilization.
“As the intelligence community, we don’t see practical evidence at this point of Russian planning to deploy or even potentially use tactical nuclear weapons,” Burns said, according to CBS News. But, he added, “we cannot underestimate these possibilities.”
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