Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon be "doubling down" in an attempt to emerge victorious in Ukraine despite the death of over 25,000 Russian soldiers and mounting economic sanctions by the international community, a senior U.S. intelligence official said.
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns announced Saturday that Putin is optimistic about the war’s outcome despite historic losses and failed attempts to capture Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.
"He's in a frame of mind in which he doesn't believe he can afford to lose," Burns said during a Financial Times event in Washington, Reuters reported. "I think he's convinced right now that doubling down still will enable him to make progress."