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CIA Director Bill Burns told lawmakers Putin “is losing” the current information war.
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Burns said Russia has previously bested the West in spreading its propaganda.
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Moscow is trying a new tactic by baselessly claiming the US has chemical weapons in Ukraine.
CIA Director Bill Burns told lawmakers on Thursday that Russia and Vladimir Putin are “losing” the information war over its war against Ukraine, arguing that the US has frustrated the Kremlin’s efforts to use false flags to defend their attacks.
“In all my years I spent as a career diplomat, I saw too many instances where we lost information wars with the Russians,” Burns testified before senators during a hearing focused on national security threats. “In this case, I think we have had a great deal of effect in disrupting their tactics and calculations and demonstrating to the entire world that this is premeditated and unprovoked aggression built on a body of lies and false narratives.”
Burns added, “This is one information war that I think Putin is losing.”
The US’ top intelligence officials said their decision to release streams of intelligence before Putin launched a large-scale invasion disrupted his plans and continues to stymie Russia.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki and other top officials slammed Russia on Wednesday for making the baseless claim that the US has chemical weapons in Ukraine. Western officials have previously accused Russia of defending or using chemical weapons in Syria in addition to the high-profile poisoning of dissidents like Alexei Navalny.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said that Russia’s newest claims fit past narratives of trying to create false flags during a conflict. She also testified that the war itself is in a fraught moment and that Putin may “double down” even as his forces encounter stiff Ukrainian opposition.
Burns previously served as the US ambassador to Russia, deputy secretary of state, and in other top foreign service posts before returning to federal government to lead the CIA.
Read the original article on Business Insider
