Russian President Vladimir Putin could use a ‘tactical nuke’ to win the war, US intelligence chiefs fear.
During a House Intelligence Committee hearing, the heads of the National Security Agency, CIA, and Defense Intelligence Agency gave their assessment of Putin’s possible future actions.
William Burns, the director of CIA, described the Russian leader as having “been stewing in a combustible combination of grievance and ambition for many years.”
Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency director Lieutenant General Scott Berrier said that Russia has been working overtime to modernize its weaponry, and even investing in “tactical nuclear weapons.”
“I believe that he thinks that gives him an asymmetric advantage,” he said.
Many U.S. officials have expressed concern that Putin might order the deployment of mini-nukes on a city in Ukraine to win the war.
The Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, said that “Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling” has put the West on notice.
She told the panel: “We assess Putin feels aggrieved the West does not give him proper deference, and perceives this as a war he cannot afford to lose.
“But what he might be willing to accept as a victory may change over time.”
She also said that while the Russian leader “probably anticipated” international financial sanctions, he “did not anticipate the degree to which the United States and its allies and partners would take steps to undermine his capacity to mitigate Western actions.”
On Tuesday, Britain and the US announced that they were stopping further purchase of oil from Russia.
Shell and BP also took similar steps.
Other companies to pull out of Russia include Coca Cola, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Apple, Airbnb, Facebook, TikTok, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, and HSBC.
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