Ex-CIA agent: ‘I do not rule out assassination attempt on Putin’

Former CIA counterintelligence chief James Olson sees only one way to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: by assassinating or overthrowing Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. “I think Putin will be eliminated,” he told the British newspaper The Sun. “I’m not ruling out a murder.”

Olson therefore assumes that there is a strong undercurrent of opposition to the Russian president in the military, the secret services and among the oligarchs. The future of the tyrant depends on his success or failure in Ukraine.

Putin is going to destroy Russia

“If Putin stays in power, there will be a long war because he will not give up,” warns Olson. “But I don’t think Putin will stay in power.” The Kremlin boss is in a hopeless situation. He misjudged and overestimated the military’s power and the effectiveness of its leadership, Olson said.

According to Olson, there is a reason why the Kremlin chief’s support among the Russian people is waning: “Putin is destroying Russia. I think there are some good Russians, some patriotic Russians, who will decide: enough is enough.” The Russian people suffer and lose people in the war. “Putin is bleeding Russia out and he can’t keep doing that forever,” Olson told The Sun.

‘Republic of Moldova in great danger’

He also sees possible resistance among the generals fighting in Ukraine. They were disgusted by the tragic loss of life. Olson thinks Putin is more likely to be defeated than military defeat.

“I’m optimistic because I believe the people who are motivated to remove Putin will do it for the right reasons, which are because they want to save Russia and because they want Russia to return to the community of nations,” the former CIA said. . head spy. Russia’s future looks bright once Putin is eliminated.

However, Olson expressed concern if the president remained in power, warning of an “extreme risk” of the war spreading beyond Ukraine. Putin wants to consolidate control of eastern Ukraine and take over Moldova. “The world must be aware that Moldova is in grave danger,” Olson said. Read here what Putin is planning to do with Moldova.

Fierce battles for Bachmut

In recent months, Russian attacks have targeted the cities of Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mariinka and Wuhledar in the Donetsk region, but there would have been no significant gains in territory on the Russian side. The Battle of Bakhmut is the longest running of years of Russian offensive in Ukraine.

The city, which had a population of 70,000 before the start of the war, was largely destroyed and abandoned after months of fighting. But given the fighting that has been going on for months, with heavy casualties, it has now acquired a high level of symbolic importance for both sides.

According to their own statements, the Russian mercenary group Wagner captured Bachmut “in a legal sense”. Kiev, on the other hand, said Ukrainian troops would continue to hold Bakhmut, and Moscow reported no progress by Russian troops in the battle for the city. According to Ukraine, the Russian army has already lost some 176,000 soldiers. However, this information cannot be independently verified. Kremlin boss Putin speaks of much fewer losses.

(t-online, lw)