WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The United States believes Russia underestimated the strength of Ukraine鈥檚 resistance before that has likely caused thousands of Russian casualties, the Biden administration's top intelligence official told lawmakers Tuesday.
The testimony, in a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee, amounted to the first public disclosure by the nation鈥檚 most senior intelligence officials about how the 2-week-old war is proceeding, offering their insight into the thinking of Russian President Vladimir Putin as his forces continue their march through Ukraine.
The officials made clear their assessment that Russia's assault has been slowed by unexpected resistance by Ukrainian defenders and that it was unclear if Putin planned a 鈥渕aximalist鈥� strategy to try to capture all of Ukraine or would settle for something short of that.
鈥淲e assess Putin feels aggrieved the West does not give him proper deference and perceives this as a war he cannot afford to lose,鈥� Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said. 鈥淏ut what he might be willing to accept as a victory may change over time given the significant costs he is incurring.鈥�
The U.S. believes Putin had banked on capturing the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv within two days, CIA Director William Burns said.
鈥淗e was confident that he had modernized his military and they were capable of quick, decisive victory at minimum cost,鈥� Burns said. 鈥淗e's been proven wrong on every count.鈥�
Despite Putin鈥檚 announcement that he would raise , Haines said the U.S. has not observed unusual changes in Russia鈥檚 nuclear force posture.
Several officials pledged their agencies鈥� full effort to supporting the Ukrainian resistance. Much of the intelligence community鈥檚 work in Ukraine likely will take place in secret. But FBI Director Chris Wray said that at Ukraine鈥檚 request, the bureau had worked with social media companies to take down accounts linked to Russia that were spreading Ukrainian military disinformation.
Nomaan Merchant And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press
