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Vladimir Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been, US and European officials have said, Reuters reports, signaling that the Russian president spends too much time with “yes men”.
Russia’s February 24 invasion of its southern neighbor has been halted on most fronts by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces, who have recaptured territory even as civilians are trapped in besieged cities.
“We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military,” leading him to mistrust the military leadership, the U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity and citing newly declassified intelligence reports.
“Putin didn’t even know his military was using and losing conscripts in Ukraine, showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian president.”
It’s potentially useful. Does it sow dissension in the ranks? It could make Putin reconsider whom he can trust,” that official said.
Putin thought things were going better than they were. That’s the problem with surrounding yourself with ‘yes men’ or only sitting with them at the end of a very long table,” the diplomat said/