Russian President Vladimir Putin is Being Misled by Advisers and Doesn’t Know How Poorly His Own War is Going: US Defense Official; Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Chief Says “Total Guerrilla Warfare” Coming Next, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

Putin being lied to by own advisers: US defense official:

Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misled by advisers and doesn’t know how poorly his own war is going, a US defense official said Wednesday.

The struggling strongman is being lied to by his inner circle about everything from military losses to the economy, an unnamed US official said, citing recently declassified intelligence.

US intelligence suggests that Putin was unaware of the extent to which his army was relying on — and losing — conscripted soldiers, the official said.

The Russian leader has also been given an unrealistically rosy assessment of Russian markets as his advisers downplay the effect of Western sanctions on their economy

The official also said Putin is now aware he’s being misled, which is causing tension between the president and his top military officials.

There’s a “clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information” to Putin, the official said, with the Russian president’s senior advisers “afraid to tell him the truth.” —>READ MORE HERE

CBC

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Chief Says “Total Guerrilla Warfare” Coming Next:

The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, threatened total “guerrilla” warfare in Russian-occupied territory. He also warned Moscow was attempting to split his country into a divided state.

Budanov said that Ukraine was preparing a guerrilla war in any territory Russia continues to control. “The season of a total Ukrainian guerilla safari will soon begin,” he said.

The statement from the intel chief comes as the US is dumping billions of insurgency-style weapons into Ukraine. The American weapon’s shipments to Keiv included the shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile that the CIA provided to the Afghan Mujahideen to use against the Soviet Army.

There is a long track record of influential foreign policy thinkers who suggested America would benefit from Russia fighting an insurgency in Ukraine.

The latest official to express the benefits of Ukrainian insurgency is US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl. He believes Russia would be weakened by the war in Ukraine. —>READ MORE HERE

Follow links below to +++++relevant+++++ and related stories:

+++++Russia-Ukraine News LATEST UPDATES: (REUTERS) (AP) and (WSJ)+++++

U.S. to send Ukraine $500 million more in direct aid

Russia Has Shifted Less Than 20% of Kyiv-Area Troops, Pentagon Says

Russia continues bombardment of Ukrainian cities despite peace talk claims

Several Russian servicemen seek help avoiding Ukraine war – lawyers

How Many Nuclear Weapons Does Russia Have? What to Know About Putin’s Arsenal

Russia Dashes Hopes of Imminent Peace Deal With Ukraine

Russia Plays Down Progress in Peace Talks, Intensifies Attacks in Eastern Ukraine

Russian forces shelling settlements and using phosphorus ammunition in eastern Ukraine: governor

Ukraine says Russia planting mines in Black Sea as shipping perils grow

Norway sends more anti-tank weapons to Ukraine

Shelling of cities goes on despite Russian promises

Source