Putin "undeterred" by economic sanctions and military setbacks in Ukraine, U.S. intel leaders say
CBSN
Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely "undeterred" by the effect of the West's coordinated economic sanctions and his military's setbacks in Ukraine and will seek to "escalate" his country's aggression against Kyiv in the coming weeks, top U.S. intelligence leaders said Tuesday.
An "aggrieved" Putin likely "perceives this as a war he cannot afford to lose," said director of national intelligence Avril Haines, who testified along with other intelligence chiefs before the House Intelligence Community as part of an annual hearing on worldwide threats.
She was joined by CIA Director William Burns, FBI director Christopher Wray, Cyber Command Commander and NSA director Gen. Paul Nakasone, and Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, who will all appear again for additional testimony before the Senate Intelligence Community on Thursday.
A group of House Democrats Tuesday called for action from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, days after CBS News published an investigation which found dozens of law enforcement officials illegally sold firearms, even weapons of war, across 23 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.