US intelligence anticipates ‘horrible weeks’ in Ukraine war

The military resistance of the Ukrainians and the unity and forcefulness in the Western response to their invasion of Ukraine have surprised Vladimir Putin but the Russian leader is far from throwing in the towel. Quite the contrary, “it is angry and frustrated right now and probably will persist and trying to grind down the Ukrainian army without regard for civilian casualties,” as warned on Tuesday by the CIA Director William Burns who has warned that the coming weeks of the conflict will be “horrible”.

Burns, who was ambassador to Moscow between 2005 and 2008, has appeared along with other national security leaders before the House Intelligence Committee in a session that was initially intended to present a annual threat report for the United States, a document completed before the Russian aggression against Ukraine began and in which China is at the top of the list. And the session has served to update the intelligence analysis of Washington on the conflict and on Putin.

According to US calculations between 2,000 and 4,000 Russian soldiers have died in the invasion, a figure much higher than the 600 casualties that the Kremlin recognized six days ago but that are taken with caution, since they are partly based on information from the media and social networks.

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The Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haineshas also explained that “moscow underestimated the strength of Ukraine’s resistance and the degree of the military challenge” but has pointed out that it should not be ruled out that Putin orders to intensify the operations. “He perceives this war as one that can’t afford to lose”he said, although he also added that “what he may be willing to accept as a victory can change over time given the significant costs it is suffering”.

Haines has also assured that it is not clear if the Russian leader will maintain his “maximalist plan” to take over all or most of Ukraine and has stated that the internal political opposition in Russia to Putin for the crisis that are causing the sanctions.