Putin thinks he can win as a result of Ukraine issues extra to him than us, says CIA chief

Russian President Vladimir Putin is betting that Russian forces can prevail in Ukraine by a grinding battle of attrition and believes “Ukraine issues extra to him than us,” CIA Director William Burns advised lawmakers on Thursday.

Regardless of morale and different issues going through Russian forces in Ukraine, “Putin could be very a lot taking a longer-term view,” Burns advised a Home Intelligence Committee listening to.

“I believe he’s doubling down,” Burns stated. “I imagine he’s satisfied that he could make time work for him, that he can grind down the Ukrainians by this battle of attrition, that he can put on down Western supporters of Ukraine.

“And he’s satisfied additionally and has been for a while that Ukraine issues extra to him than to us,” stated the CIA chief, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia.

“Subsequently, the problem, I believe, is to puncture that view.”

In its annual report on world threats, the Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence wrote that Russia seemingly wouldn’t be capable to make main territorial beneficial properties in Ukraine this 12 months, and could be hard-pressed to take your entire Donbas area within the nation’s east.

“The Russian army has and can proceed to face problems with attrition, personnel shortages, and morale challenges which have left its forces weak to Ukrainian counterattacks,” the report stated.

On China, Burns stated Beijing had not made a resolution on whether or not to take army motion to grab management of Taiwan, however stated he wouldn’t “underestimate the ambition of the present Chinese language management in that regard or the willpower.”

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines stated on the identical listening to {that a} battle over Taiwan would have a large affect on the worldwide financial system and the provision of semiconductors, and that the Treasury, Commerce and different U.S. authorities departments have examined the potential impact.

“Research present that it will even have completely huge implications for the worldwide monetary financial system if there have been disruption to Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing as a result of actually . . . Taiwan, the semiconductors, the chips that come out of Taiwan, are current in nearly each class of digital units world wide,” Haines stated.

Story continues

Burns additionally urged China seemingly must weigh the financial affect if it selected to arm Russia, because it might deprive it of entry to the European market.

“It’s been necessary that European leaders have spoken up on this difficulty as nicely, as a result of I believe for a very long time that the Chinese language management has assumed that it might drive wedges between the USA and our European allies on a difficulty like this,” Burns stated. “I believe the truth that a number of distinguished European leaders have spoken out straight about it is a crucial step.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned China to not ship weapons to Russia.

This text was initially revealed on NBCNews.com