CIA Director Bill Burns stated that Russia will pay a heavy price for its war in Ukraine, with long-term damage to the Russian economy and generations of Russians. Burns also mentioned Ukraine's counteroffensive in the south and in Kharkiv, and the courage of Ukrainians in the northeastern part of Ukraine.
# Russia
Former US Defense Secretary James Mattis criticized Russia's war in Ukraine, calling it 'immoral' and 'operationally stupid,' while speaking at the Seoul Forum 2022. He also spoke of previous US efforts to try and bring Russia into the 'community of nations,' but said that was not possible with Vladimir Putin as leader. Mattis called Russia's military performance 'pathetic' and decried 'the immoral, the tactically incompetent, operationally stupid and strategically foolish effort' of its campaign in Ukraine.
Boris Bondarev, a 20-year veteran of Russia's diplomatic service, announced his resignation in protest of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a rare public protest, Bondarev posted a statement on LinkedIn condemning Russia's actions and criticizing the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also lambasted Russia's leadership for corruption and their willingness to sacrifice lives for power. The Russian mission to the UN in Geneva declined to comment on the matter, and Bondarev did not respond to messages sent to his LinkedIn account.
Retired Col. Mikhail Khodarenok, a former senior Russian officer, has warned on state television that the situation in Ukraine will get worse. He criticized Russia's military operations in Ukraine and commented on Russia's broader isolation. Despite pushback from the show’s presenter, Khodarenok said that Ukraine could arm one million people. He had warned before the invasion started that it would be more difficult than many anticipated to wage war in Ukraine.
The world's perception of Russia has shifted from admiration of its greats to condemnation of Putin's regime. The author urges the Russian people to take action against Putin's paranoid and incompetent leadership, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of soldiers and the targeting of civilians in Ukraine. The author calls for international support and intervention to end the atrocities committed by Putin's regime.
As Ukrainian forces retake the greater Kyiv area, civilian bodies were found in Bucha following the withdrawal of Russian forces. The alleged atrocities have drawn international outrage, with Western leaders calling for war crimes investigations and increasing sanctions on Russia. US intelligence suggests Russia has revised its invasion strategy to focus on taking control of the Donbas and other regions in eastern Ukraine, with a target date of early May. Evacuation attempts from the besieged city of Mariupol will pick up again on Sunday.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is being 'reduced to ashes' by Russia's military aggression. The city has been under near constant attack from Russian forces since early March, with significant destruction to residential areas. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called the situation a 'massive war crime'. Zelensky has urged Ukrainians to defend their country and save their people, saying that ordinary citizens are rising to the point that Russia doesn't believe it's reality.