Ukraine’s War Is Wearing Down Putin’s Power, CIA Director Burns

Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine is wearing down President Vladimir Putin’s power, and while he’s not likely to end his hold on the country soon, the “disaffection with the war” being seen in the Russian leadership and people will allow the CIA to attract more spies, Director William Burns said in an essay published Tuesday.

“That undercurrent of disaffection is creating a once-in-a-generation recruiting opportunity for the CIA,” Burns said in the article, published in Foreign Affairs.

His comments come as the CIA has released a series of videos aimed at attracting Russians to provide information to the United States, reports The New York Times.

Last week, one of the videos, appealing to their anger about government corruption, urged Russians to use a secure browser on the dark web to provide information securely to the CIA.

The U.S. government isn’t saying if its recruitment efforts have been successful, but Burns said in his article that the CIA now has an opportunity to attract Russians to spy, and that the agency is “not letting it go to waste.”

Burns wrote that Putin’s perceived weakness, in part, stems from last year’s mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.

But, Burns said, Putin “eventually settled his score” with Prigozhin, referring to the Wagner leader’s suspicious death in a plane crash.

Burns added that Russia has been rebuilding its military production, but the war has wounded its economy. Further, Russia is “sealing its fate” with its growing dependence on Beijing.

Both Russia and Ukraine have had severe losses in the war, but Burns said Russia’s military has been “hollowed out,” with 315,000 Russians either killed or wounded.

Meanwhile, Ukraine can “puncture Putin’s arrogance” by striking deeper behind the front lines of the war, said Burns.

There have been fears that Ukraine attacks could turn to nuclear escalation, and while Burns said that should be considered valid, it is a concern that should also not be exaggerated.

“Putin might engage again in nuclear saber-rattling, and it would be foolish to dismiss escalatory risks entirely, but it would be equally foolish to be unnecessarily intimidated by them,” he wrote.

Burns also added that it would be a serious mistake for the United States to cut off aid at this point to Ukraine.

“Keeping the arms flowing will put Ukraine in a stronger position if an opportunity for serious negotiations emerges,” Mr. Burns said. “It offers a chance to ensure a long-term win for Ukraine and a strategic loss for Russia; Ukraine could safeguard its sovereignty and rebuild, while Russia would be left to deal with the enduring costs of Putin’s folly.”