(Washington Comprehensive) The US Central Intelligence Agency warned that Russia's military operations in Ukraine suffered setbacks, which may promote Russian President Putin to use nuclear weapons.
The Russian army's actions in Ukraine did not go smoothly as expected. The surrounding trend of the capital Kiev was difficult to form. Other fronts were also suffered from major losses. They were eventually forced to retreat from some areas in northern Ukraine.
However, Bernus, director of the CIA, reminded "Don't underestimate Putin's unyielding determination, especially on the Ukrainian issue."
He said in a speech at the Atlanta Gorgeous Institute of Technology on Thursday: "Considering that Putin and the Russian leadership may be desperate, because they have encountered many setbacks so far.Tactical nuclear weapons or low -volume nuclear weapons are taken lightly. "
Compared to the strategic nuclear weapons installed on intercontinental ballistic missiles, the size of tactics or low -volume nuclear weapons can be fired through mortars, exploding like mines.These weapons are mainly used to combat key goals that directly affect military operations, and quickly destroy enemy combat capabilities.According to experts, Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons that can be launched by sea, land and air.
Bernus also said that Putin has a "almost mysterious belief that he is destined to restore Russia's sphere of influence", including incorporating Ukraine into the control of the Kremlin.
Three days after the Russian army invaded Ukraine, that is, on February 27, the nuclear deterrence power was placed in a high degree of alertness on the grounds that NATO issued an aggressive statement and the implementation of economic sanctions on Russia in Western countries.
Putin intimate ally and former Russian President Medvedev also warned on Thursday that if Sweden and Finland join NATO, Russia will deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in Kalinrad.Kalinrad is a Russian flying land along the Baltic Sea, 500 kilometers from Berlin, and less than 1,400 kilometers from London and Paris.
Despite Russia's tough gesture, Bernus said that the United States has not seen any "actual evidence" showing Moscow's nuclear military deployment.
Bernus went to Moscow in November last year, trying to persuade Putin not to take military operations against Ukraine.He said on Thursday that Putin seems to be convinced that the Russian army will be able to win quickly at the lowest price and determine that European allies in the United States will not have time to pay attention to Ukraine because of their busy domestic politics; Putin also believes that with Russia's foreign exchange reserves enough to resist Western sanctions, but the facts are factsIt proves that he has misconduct.
Bernus: China is the "silent partner" of Putin invading Ukraine
Bernus also named China in his speech to criticize China as "the silent partner of Putin's invasion of Ukraine", and also stated that Beijing itself threatened the United States and the West.He said that China is the biggest challenge facing the United States, and in many aspects is the biggest test that the CIA has always faced. "
