Russian victory in Donbas might not end Ukraine war, US intelligence chief says
- Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told US lawmakers Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine
- She added the next few months in the war-torn country could see ‘more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory’
Moscow’s assault on Kyiv was beaten back in March by strong Ukrainian resistance.
Russia, which calls the invasion “a special military operation”, poured more troops into Ukraine for a huge offensive last month in the eastern part of the country, but its gains have been slow.
“We assess President Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine during which he still intends to achieve goals beyond the Donbas,” Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Ukraine mocks Putin’s Victory Day with ‘parade of captured Russian tanks’
She added that Putin was counting on the Western resolve to weaken over time and as the conflict continued, there was concern about how it would develop in the coming months.
“Combined with the reality that Putin faces a mismatch between his ambitions and Russia’s current conventional military capabilities, likely means the next few months could see us moving along a more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory,” Haines added.
During the same hearing, the head of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) said the war was at a stalemate.
“The Russians aren’t winning and the Ukrainians aren’t winning and we’re at a bit of a stalemate here,” said Lieutenant General Scott Berrier.
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Moscow’s Victory Day parade prompts Putin to defend Russian invasion of Ukraine
Asked about the prospect of Putin using tactical nuclear weapons, Berrier said: “Right now, we do not see that.”
Haines said earlier that the intelligence community believes Putin would authorise the use of nuclear weapons only if he perceived an existential threat to the Russian state.
President Putin exhorted Russians to battle in a defiant Victory Day speech on Monday but was silent about plans for any escalation in Ukraine despite Western warnings he might use his Red Square address to order a national mobilisation.
Russia’s war has killed thousands of civilians, sent millions of Ukrainians fleeing and reduced cities to rubble. Moscow has little to show for it beyond a strip of territory in the south and marginal gains in the east.
