The United States is not “taking lightly” the possibility of Russia seeking to use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine as Moscow continues to face difficulties on the battlefield, it said on Thursday. CIA Director Bill Burns.
“Given the potential despair of President Putin and the Russian leadership over the military failures they have faced so far, none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a possible recourse to regular nuclear weapons or low-efficiency nuclear weapons.”speaking at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The CIA is “watching it very closely,” Burns said. However, he stressed that the United States has not yet seen signs that Russia is preparing to take such a step.
“While we have seen some Kremlin rhetoric about moving to higher levels of nuclear alert, so far we have not seen much practical evidence of the kind of developments or military dispositions that would reinforce this concern — but we are watching it very closely. »said Burns.
However, in the same remarks, Burns warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin has become increasingly isolated and that “the appetite for risk has increased as his grip on Russia has tightened.”
“His circle of advisers has narrowed, and in this small circle it has never been encouraging to question his judgment or his stubborn, almost mystical belief that his destiny is to restore Russia’s sphere of influence.”said Burns.
In 2021, intelligence began to gather about Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine
US spy services began gathering “worrying and detailed” information last fall about a plan for a “new major invasion” of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putinwho was “swaying” because of the ambition and insecurity he felt, according to CIA Director William Burns.
Speaking today at the Georgia Institute of Technology, in his first public speech since taking over the CIA leadership last year, Burns said US intelligence was “vital” to Ukraine’s resistance to Russian forces.
The CIA chief also did not hide his disgust for the killing of civilians in Bhutan, saying that the “crimes” committed by the Russian army in the Ukrainian city were “horrible”.
Biden is considering sending an official to Ukraine
President Joe Biden said today that top US government officials will soon decide whether to send a senior official to Kyiv as a sign of US support for Ukraine.
“We decide now”Biden told reporters as he prepared to leave for a trip to North Carolina.
A source familiar with the matter said Wednesday that it is possible that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin or Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was going, but that Biden is unlikely to travel there.
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