The war in Ukraine is having a “destructive” effect on Vladimir Putin, the CIA director said on Saturday, creating an exceptional “opportunity” for the intelligence agency.
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From the Ditchley Foundation, UK, William Burns called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “the most immediate and acute geopolitical challenge to the international order today”.
According to him, the war is a “strategic failure” for Moscow, which has exposed Russia’s military weaknesses, dealt a blow to its economy and encouraged the enlargement and strengthening of NATO.
“Discontent with the war will continue to eat away at Russian leaders… This dissatisfaction creates for us at the CIA a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Burns said. .
“We won’t let her pass,” he added, noting that the CIA had recently posted a message on Telegram telling Russians how to reach the US agency through the dark web.
A week earlier, the revolt of Wagner’s mercenaries, led on June 24 by the boss of the Russian paramilitary group Yevgeny Prigojine, had exposed in broad daylight patent weaknesses in the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
William Burns, Director of the CIA | AFP
Wagner’s leader had openly questioned why the military intervention had been launched, saying “war was necessary for a bunch of bastards to be promoted.”
“The impact of these words and actions will be felt for some time, a powerful reminder of the destructive effect of Putin’s war on his own society and his own regime,” Burns said.
The CIA director did not mention his recent trip to Ukraine, where he met with intelligence officials and President Volodymyr Zelensky in June, shortly before Mr Prigozhin’s failed rebellion.
In his speech, Mr. Burns also mentioned China. In particular, he warned against the “increasing repression inside the country and the aggressiveness (of the Chinese president) vis-à-vis the foreigner”.
Burns also said the CIA had created a China-focused mission center and had more than doubled the share of its overall budget devoted to Asian power activities.