British MI6 chief Richard Moore and US Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns interviewed during the FT Weekend festival in London, Great Britain on September 7, 2024. | Photo credit: Reuters
The heads of the British and US foreign intelligence services said on Saturday (September 7, 2024) that Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia is a major achievement that could change the narrative of the 2.5-year war, as they highlighted. Kiev’s allies should not be deterred by Russian threats of escalation.
Richard Moore, the head of MI6, said Kiev’s surprise offensive in August to seize territory in Russia’s Kursk region was “typically daring and audacious on the part of the Ukrainians, to try to change the game.” said the offensive – which Ukraine said has captured about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory – had “brought the war to ordinary Russians.”
CIA Director William Burns, speaking with Mr Moore at an unprecedented joint public event in London, said the offensive was a “major tactical achievement” that had exposed vulnerabilities in the Russian military.
It remains to be seen whether Ukraine can turn the win into a long-term advantage. So far the offensive has not diverted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attention from eastern Ukraine, where his forces are closing in on the strategically located city of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly pressured his allies to let Kiev use Western-supplied missiles to strike deep into Russia and hit locations from which Moscow carries out airstrikes. While some countries, including Britain, are thought to be tacitly supporting the idea, others, including Germany and the US, are reluctant.
US President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire US-supplied missiles at Russia in self-defense, but the range has been largely limited to cross-border targets considered a direct threat, amid concerns about further escalation of the conflict.
Mr Burns said the West should “be aware” of the risk of escalation but not be “unnecessarily intimidated” by Russian saber-rattling, showing there was a point in late 2022 when there was a “real risk of the use of weapons’. of tactical nuclear weapons by Moscow.
Mr Burns also warned of the growing and “troubling” defense relationship between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, which he said threatens both Ukraine and Western allies in the Middle East. North Korea has sent munitions and missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine, while Iran is supplying Moscow with attack drones.
Mr. Burns said the CIA has not yet seen evidence that China has sent weapons to Russia, “but we see a lot of things that fall short of that.” And he warned Iran against supplying ballistic missiles to Moscow, saying dramatic escalation of the relationship.
Prior to their joint performance at the FT Weekend Festival at London’s Kenwood House, the two spy masters wrote an opinion piece for the Financial timescalling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas, saying their services had “exploited our intelligence channels to push hard for restraint and de-escalation.”
Mr Burns has been deeply involved in efforts to end the fighting. He traveled to Egypt in August for high-level talks aimed at reaching a hostage agreement and at least a temporary halt to the conflict.
So far no agreement has been reached, although US officials insist a deal is close. President Joe Biden recently said that “just a few issues” remain unresolved. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said reports of a breakthrough are “precisely inaccurate.”
“I can’t tell you how close we are now,” Mr. Burns told the London audience. He said negotiators are working on new, detailed proposals that will be presented within days.
Mr Burns said that while 90% of the text has been agreed by the warring parties, “the last 10% is the last 10% for a reason because it is the hardest part to do.”
Mr Burns said ending the conflict would require “some difficult choices and some difficult compromises” from both Israel and Hamas.
The US and the UK are both staunch allies of Israel, although London on Monday (September 2, 2024) deviated from Washington by suspending some arms exports to Israel over the risk that they could be used to violate international law violate.
The intelligence chiefs’ speech came ahead of a busy week of transatlantic diplomacy, including a meeting in Washington between Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The White House said the talks would touch on Ukraine, Gaza and other issues.
In their article, Mr Burns and Mr Moore highlighted the strength of the transatlantic relationship in the face of “an unprecedented set of threats”, including an assertive Russia, an increasingly powerful China and the constant drumbeat of international terrorism – all complicated due to rapid technological changes.
They highlighted Russia’s “reckless campaign of sabotage” across Europe and its “cynical use of technology to spread lies and disinformation designed to drive wedges between us.”
U.S. officials have long accused Moscow of meddling in the U.S. election, and this week the Biden administration seized Kremlin websites and accused employees of Russian broadcaster RT of covertly financing social media campaigns to promote pro- Spread Kremlin messages and sow discord. s presidential contest.
Russia has also been linked by Western officials to several planned attacks in Europe, including an alleged plot to burn Ukrainian businesses in London.
Mr Moore said Russian spies were acting increasingly desperately and recklessly.
“Russian intelligence has gone a bit wild,” he said.
Published – Sep 7, 2024 11:50 PM IST
