U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about the poor performance of Kremlin troops in Ukraine, the Associated Press reported and confirmed CBS News.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about the recently declassified intelligence, said on Wednesday that the intelligence finding indicates that Putin is aware of the state of the information coming to him and that there is now persistent tension between him and senior Russian military officials. President Biden, in an exchange with journalists, made no comment.
But the administration hopes that the disclosure of the finding could help push Putin to reconsider his options in Ukraine. The war has reached a bloody stalemate in much of the country, with numerous casualties and the morale of Russian troops sinking as Ukrainian forces and volunteers present an unexpectedly strong defense.
However, advertising risks further isolating Putin, who, according to US officials, seems driven at least in part by a desire to regain the Russian prestige lost by the fall of the Soviet Union.
In Algeria on Wednesday, when asked about the report that Putin felt cheated by his defense ministers, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not directly confirm the story, but told reporters that “one of Achilles’ heels “There are people in these systems who tell the truth in power or don’t have the ability to tell the truth in power. And I think that’s something we’re seeing in Russia.”
Also on Wednesday, President Biden spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for about 55 minutes and told him that an additional $ 500 million in direct aid to Ukraine was underway. It is the last leg of US assistance as the Russian invasion progresses.
The two also reviewed security aid that has already been delivered to Ukraine and the effects the armament has had on the war, according to the White House.
The unidentified officer did not detail the underlying evidence of how U.S. intelligence made its determination.
The intelligence community has concluded that Putin did not know that his military had been using – and losing – recruits in Ukraine. And it has also determined that it is not fully aware of the extent to which the Russian economy is being harmed by the economic sanctions imposed by the US and its allies.
The findings show a “clear break in the flow of accurate information” to Putin and show that Putin’s top advisers are “afraid to tell him the truth,” the official said.
Zelesnkyy has pressured the Biden administration and Western allies to provide Ukraine with military aircraft, which the United States and other NATO countries have so far refused to accommodate for fears that it could lead to an escalation of the Russian war. beyond the borders of Ukraine.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement of $ 500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent some $ 2 billion in humanitarian and security aid to Ukraine since the start of the war in late February.
This is part of the $ 13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine on a larger spending bill. On Wednesday, the House and Senate will receive secret briefings on Ukraine.
The news comes after the White House on Tuesday expressed skepticism over Russia’s public announcement that it would revoke operations near Kyiv in an effort to boost confidence in ongoing talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Turkey. .
And Ukrainian officials say Russia has continued to bomb near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernivtsi despite Russia’s claim that it would reduce operations “to increase mutual trust” for peace talks.
The Pentagon said on Wednesday that for the past 24 hours it had seen some Russian troops in areas around Kyiv moving north to or from Belarus. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in interviews with CNN and Fox Business that the United States does not see this as a withdrawal, but rather as an attempt by Russia to resupply, equip, and then reposition its troops.
Putin has long been seen outside Russia as an insular and surrounded by officials who do not always tell him the truth. U.S. officials have publicly said they believe the limited flow of information, possibly exacerbated by the rise in Putin’s isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, may have given the Russian president unrealistic views. how quickly it could invade Ukraine.
The pre-war Biden administration launched an unprecedented effort to make known what it believed were Putin’s invasion plans, based on intelligence findings. Although Russia still invaded, it was widely attributed to the White House, which drew attention to Ukraine and pushed its initially reluctant allies to support the harsh sanctions that have decimated the Russian economy.
But underlining the limits of intelligence, the U.S. also underestimated Ukraine’s willingness to fight before the invasion, Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said in a statement. recent witness before Congress.
Sara Cook contributed to this report.
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