Top US military intelligence chief says Putin cannot achieve Ukraine goal
Russian forces have shown themselves incapable of achieving President Vladimir Putin’s initial objectives in Ukraine, Defence Intelligence Agency director says
Russia's setbacks and stretched resources in Ukraine show its forces are incapable of achieving President Vladimir Putin's initial aims in invading the country as things stand now, the Pentagon's intelligence chief said on Friday.
“We're coming to a point right now where I think Putin is going to have to revise what his objectives are for this operation,” Lt Gen Scott Berrier, director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, told an intelligence and national security conference.
“Because it's pretty clear right now that he's … not going to be able to do what he initially intended to do.”
Mr Putin sent troops into neighbouring Ukraine in February with what US officials say was the objective of unseating Ukraine's western-friendly government.
Ukrainian forces drove Russian fighters from their positions around the capital earlier in the war, and Russia suffered another major setback last week, when a Ukrainian counter-offensive forced its troops back from positions in the north-eastern part of the country.
“The Russians planned for an occupation, not necessarily an invasion, and that has set them back,” Lt Gen Berrier said, citing Mr Putin's reluctance so far to fully mobilise Russian forces to get more manpower into the fight.
People stand on the rubble of a house destroyed by a Russian military strike in Chaplyne, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine. Reuters
Residents were forced to flee their homes as Russia carried out attacks in Chaplyne and other cities. Reuters
A car damaged by a Russian military strike, in Chaplyne. Reuters
The covered body of a child, 11, who was killed by a Russian military strike, lies on the ground, in Chaplyne. Reuters
US President Joe Biden and other administration officials have taken care not to call Russia's latest retreat a Ukrainian victory or turning point in the war, and analysts caution it is impossible to assess what may lie ahead.
“He’s coming to a decision” point,” Lt Gen Berrier said of Mr Putin. “What that decision will be, we don’t know. But that will largely drive how long this conflict lasts.”
Lt Gen Berrier was speaking at a panel with other senior officials at the intelligence community's Intelligence and National Security Summit at National Harbour in Maryland, right outside Washington.
Asked about concerns that Mr Putin could unleash weapons of mass destruction if he is thwarted on the battlefield by US and Nato-backed Ukrainian forces, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen said: “I don't think we should underestimate Putin's adherence to his original agenda, which was to control Ukraine.
“I don't think we've seen any reason to believe he has moved off that.”
Nor should the US underestimate Mr Putin's “risk appetite”, Mr Cohen said.
Mr Putin and his officials early in the war made allusions to Russia's nuclear arsenal and to massive retaliation in warning Nato not to become involved in the conflict.
“That being said, we have not seen concrete evidence of planning for the use of [weapons of mass destruction],'' Mr Cohen said.
The more probable form of any Russian retaliation against the US would be more attempts at interfering with the country's political system, other security and intelligence officials said.
Separately, in a major regional summit in Uzbekistan on Friday, Mr Putin vowed to press the attack on Ukraine and said that Moscow could ramp up its strikes on the country’s infrastructure if Ukrainian forces attempt to hit facilities in Russia.
The conference included the leaders of China, India, Turkey and several other countries.
Mr Putin said the “liberation” of Ukraine’s entire eastern Donbas region was Russia’s main military goal and that he saw no need to revise it.
Ukrainian medic Yuliia Paievska appears before US Congress on the Helsinki Commission on Thursday, on Capitol Hill in Washington. AP
Senator Ben Cardin shakes hands with Ms Paievska, a Ukrainian veteran and volunteer paramedic. Getty / AFP
Dr Hanna Hopko, a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament, and Ms Paievska testify on Capitol Hill in Washington. Getty / AFP
The witnesses discussed Russian war crimes and atrocities committed in Ukraine since the start of the war. Getty / AFP
Ms Paievska used a body camera to record her work in Mariupol while the port city was under Russian siege, and was later captured by Russian troops. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on June 17 that Russia had freed Ms Paievska. Invictus Games Team Ukraine / AP
Bodycam footage shows Ms Paievska's team's frantic efforts to bring people back from the brink of death. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ms Paievska assists as a serviceman is brought in on a stretcher. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Two wounded Russian soldiers arrive at a hospital to be treated on March 10, in Mariupol, Ukraine, two weeks after Russia invaded. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ms Paievska was a member of the Ukraine Invictus Games team for military veterans, where she was set to compete in archery and swimming. Invictus Games Team Ukraine / AP
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How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
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Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
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Born May 17, 1991
Height 1.80 metres
Birthplace Sydney, Australia
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Plays Right-handed
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$5,761,870 (Dh21,162,343.75)
Wins / losses 312 / 181
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THE SCORES
Ireland 125 all out
(20 overs; Stirling 72, Mustafa 4-18)
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UAE won by five wickets
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Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
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Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
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Camille Serme (FRA)
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US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
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Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
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A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
