CIA chief says Wagner mutiny ‘exposed’ weaknesses in Russia’s Ukraine defences
- William Burns said Moscow suffered from some significant ‘structural weaknesses’ behind the considerable defences it has built up in Ukraine
- He added Putin is trying to extract what he can of value from Prigozhin’s Wagner group and the mercenary boss is likely to see retribution from the president in the future
US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said on Thursday that he remains optimistic Ukraine will be able to make advances its counteroffensive against Russia, based on the intelligence he has reviewed.
Russia suffers from some significant “structural weaknesses” behind the considerable defences it has built up, Burns said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. Those weaknesses include poor morale, poor generalship and “disarray” among its political and military leadership.
“It is going to be a tough slog, but we’re going to do everything we can as an intelligence agency to provide the kind of intelligence support and sharing that’s going to help the Ukrainians to make progress,” Burns said.
Burns’ comments echoed remarks earlier this week by Sir Richard Moore, the head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, known at MI6. Moore said that Putin’s government was beset by “venality, infighting and callous incompetence” and that the aftermath of Prigozhin’s mutiny had been “humiliating” to Putin.
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Putin is likely to try to avoid giving the impression that he is overreacting to the mutiny, while trying to extract what he can of value from Prigozhin’s Wagner network, Burns said. Still, Burns said Prigozhin is likely to see retribution from Putin at some point.