A self\u002Danointed, messianic Putin who\u0027s convinced of the rightness of his war but does not know what is happening on the ground is bound to exacerbate and…
American and British intelligence assessments have exposed major rifts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military and intelligence services, painting a picture of a ruthless Russian dictator surrounded by fearful courtiers who are unwilling to tell him the truth about the challenges and failures of his war.
But there is a downside. A self-anointed, messianic Putin who’s convinced of the rightness of his war but does not know what is happening on the ground is bound to exacerbate and deepen this conflict. This has even the Pentagon worried. Its spokesperson, John Kirby, told a press conference on March 30 that Putin “may not fully understand the degree to which his forces are failing in Ukraine. That’s a little discomforting, to be honest with you.
More recently, a massive wave of expulsions have been announced by Germany , France , Italy , Spain , Belgium , the Netherlands , Ireland and the Czech Republic . Altogether, some 230 Russian officials have been expelled by EU countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Preventing Russian agents from engaging in espionage and influence operations across Europe and the western world is important. But it also means a reduced ability by Russian intelligence to report to Moscow on the true strategic picture of NATO and EU opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine, and on the West’s determination to impose financial and military costs on Putin’s regime.
Radio and cell interception provides opportunities for lethal Ukrainian targeting, including sniper operations against key commanders operating forward with their units. A Ukrainian air reconnaissance unit, the Aerorozvidka, that began as an amateur group of computer enthusiasts and drone operators, has been credited with some remarkable exploits against the massed Russian column of tanks and armoured vehicles that menaced the capital Kyiv.