Washington: according to a public assessment of America's top spy Russian President Vladimir Putin has succumbed to his own myth-making and exaggeration, unable to give up his desire to conquer Ukraine no matter what.
CIA Director William Burns, the last US official to meet with Putin before sending Russian troops to Ukraine in February, issued a warning late Wednesday that the Russian president really believed he needed Ukraine to realize his fate.
I've heard Putin say privately over the years that he really believes his rhetoric that Ukraine is not a real nation. Burns addressed the audience at the annual Aspen Safety Forum in Aspen, Colorado. "He really believed he could take Kyiv in less than a week," Burns said.
Burns continued, "He believes it is his duty as leader of Russia to make Russia a great power once again, and he doesn't think you can do that without telling Ukraine that it How will you decide? They think that Russia has the right to rule Ukraine because it belongs to Russia.
Although Putin had no intention of abandoning his campaign to capture the whole of Ukraine, earlier US intelligence assessments suggested that it was possible that his troops would be forced to regroup after suffering significant losses since the invasion began. will be forced to. He can officially stop the fight to give her time.
According to Avril Haines, director of national intelligence for the United States, "From our point of view, it is entirely plausible that depending on how things develop in the coming months, he [Putin] is confident that in effect There is value, some sort of compromise."
US intelligence estimates that 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and 45,000 wounded in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian defense officials, 38,000 Russian soldiers were killed. Burns questioned the possibility of some sort of deal, claiming it was contrary to Putin's worldview. According to Burns, Putin "is a great believer in controlling, intimidating, and even achieving." The author said that the Russian president is also an "apostle of return".
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued a warning that due to the transfer of US High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to Ukraine, the Russian military may soon expand its "special operations".
Now the geography has changed. In a statement to state media on Wednesday, Lavrov said that Kherson, Zaporizhia and several other regions were also affected.
“We cannot allow weapons that pose a direct threat to our territory and the territory of the republics that have declared independence, which, wanting to determine their future, exist in the territory of Ukraine [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky. whoever takes it, or whoever takes its place, will control it."
According to US military officials, 200 Ukrainian soldiers have received training at HIMARS, and at least eight units are already engaged in combat, destroying Russian weapons depots and command-and-control facilities.
US defense officials have confirmed that the Ukrainian military is receiving four more HIMARS and have promised the delivery of four more systems as part of a security package to be unveiled later this week.
advice for china
According to Burns, Beijing is increasing its purchases of energy products to support the Russian economy, which is helping Moscow. But he issued a warning saying that China is very cautious about providing any military aid to Russia.
"I think President Xi [Jinping] and the Chinese leadership have been somewhat uneasy, especially during the early stages of Putin's war in Ukraine. The initial military performance of the Russians and the effectiveness of Russian weapons, as well as economic, he said. The uncertainties that the war has created have made him restless.
Burns said Russia's troubles are unlikely to change China's decision to take Taiwan by force. The Chinese ambassador to the United States played down the possibility of Beijing using force against Taiwan in a speech Wednesday at the Aspen Security Forum.
The US is sending advanced weapons to support Taiwan's military, according to Ambassador Qin Gang, who said, "The last thing we want to do is fight our compatriots [in Taiwan]."
Qin continued, "We will do everything possible with all our heart to achieve peaceful reunification. The "One China" principle is the political cornerstone of Sino-US relations and the basis of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but we pray that the United States lives up to its promises.
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