CIA Director William Burns is warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin is frustrated with his military’s inability to overtake Ukraine in a matter of days and will likely double down on his war effort in the coming weeks.

“I think Putin is angry and frustrated right now,” Burns told the House Intelligence Committee. “He’s likely to double down and try to grind down the Ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties.”

“His military planning and assumptions were based on a quick, decisive victory,” he added.

Burns said Putin made four wrong assumptions: he thought Ukraine was weak; he didn’t think Europe would mount a massive, coordinated response; he thought Russia’s economy could withstand the sanctions leveled against it; and though Russia’s military was modern and ready for fighting.

“He’s been proven wrong on every point,” Burns told the lawmakers.

Because of Russia’s failures, Burns said he believes we will see “an ugly next few weeks” of fighting for control of Ukraine’s cities.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)