The CIA director has speculated that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is employing calculated delays while he devises a plan to confront and deal with Yevgeny Prighozin.
Mr. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, masterminded a mutiny in Russia a month ago.
In the eyes of CIA chief, William Burns, the mutiny functioned as a glaring spotlight on the significant loopholes within Putin’s power framework.
As per the Aspen Security Forum, there were suggestions that Russia’s leader might still have retribution in mind concerning Mr. Prigozhin.
‘What we are seeing is a very complicated dance,’ the CIA chief said on Thursday.
When questioned about a recent video seemingly depicting him in Belarus, Mr. Prigozhin acknowledged his recent presence in both Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and Russia, stating that he has been moving around.
According to Mr. Burns, Mr. Putin is probably employing time-gaining tactics as he works on determining the most suitable course of action regarding the leader of the Wagner group.
Considering the group’s utility to Russia’s leadership in Africa, Libya, and Syria, it’s reasonable to assume that Mr. Putin will aim to distance the group from its leader.
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The CIA chief mentioned that Mr. Putin is possibly considering a wait-and-see approach before taking revenge.
‘Putin is someone who generally thinks that revenge is a dish best served cold,’ Mr Burns asserted. ‘In my experience, Putin is the ultimate apostle of payback so I would be surprised if Prigozhin escapes further retribution.’
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden raised concerns about the potential threat of poisoning faced by the Wagner boss.
‘If I were he I’d be careful what I ate. I’d keep my eye on my menu,’ the president jested.
The CIA director repeated that line saying: ‘If I were Prigozhin, I wouldn’t fire my food taster.’
Mr. Burns corroborated previous accounts, affirming that the intelligence agency was aware of the mutiny in advance.
According to the CIA chief, Sergei Surovikin, a senior Russian army general who was reported to have had prior knowledge of the Wagner mutiny, is currently experiencing restrictions on his ‘freedom of movement.’