According to the CIA director, Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, is neither unstable nor ill.
As a result of the way he launched an attack against Ukraine, there have been growing reports that Putin, who turns 70 this year, may be ill, have cancer, or be mentally unstable. However, CIA director William Burns stated there was no evidence to support this, joking that he seemed "too healthy."
After Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia's military focus in Ukraine was no longer "primarily" on the east, Burns made his remarks as the US announced it would give Ukraine new long-range missiles.
As far as we can tell, President Putin appears to be far too healthy despite the numerous health rumours that surround him. On Wednesday, July 20, Burns spoke at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.
He responded to laughs by stating that this wasn't an official assessment of IQ.
Burns, a former ambassador to Moscow, claimed to have spent more than 20 years monitoring the Russian president.
The CIA director claimed that Putin is "a huge believer in control, intimidation, and getting even," and that these characteristics have become more pronounced over the past ten years as his circle of advisers has shrunk.
"He is persuaded that it is his duty as Russia's president to make the country once again a major power. He feels that creating a new sphere of influence in Russia's neighbourhood is essential, and he is unable to achieve so without dominating Ukraine."
Burns visited Moscow in November to provide a dire warning about the repercussions of invading Ukraine in light of information the US has gathered on Russia's intentions.
But he said he was "more concerned than when I arrived" when he departed Moscow.
According to Mr. Burns, Putin's intentions were founded on "profoundly false assumptions and some genuine misconceptions, particularly regarding Ukraine and the determination to resist."
Putin genuinely believes what he says. Over the years, I have overheard him quietly assert that Ukraine is not a legitimate nation.
"Well, genuine nations respond. And the Ukrainians have done just that.
In February, Russia invaded Ukraine on the false pretence that the Donbas area in eastern Ukraine's Russian-speaking population had experienced a genocide and needed to be freed.
After five months, Russia had succeeded in occupying some of the country's east and south but failed in its first attempt to seize Kiev.
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