CIA Director William Burns stated on Saturday that the ramifications of the recent armed rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Wagner Group, will have lasting effects in Russia. He described it as a powerful reminder of the damaging impact of Putin’s regime.
In a speech delivered at the Ditchley Foundation in Oxfordshire, England, Burns emphasized that Prigozhin’s actions were preceded by a scathing criticism of the Kremlin’s justification for invading Ukraine and the conduct of the Russian military leadership during the war. He believes that both Prigozhin’s words and actions will continue to have consequences, serving as a stark reminder of how Putin’s war has corroded Russian society and his own rule.
Burns also highlighted that the CIA currently has a unique opportunity to recruit human sources in Russia due to widespread disaffection with the war in Ukraine. He mentioned a recent Telegram video that garnered 2.5 million views in its first week, providing secure instructions for Russians to contact the agency.
“We are fully prepared to engage,” Burns expressed, suggesting that the CIA is ready and willing to work with potential sources in Russia.
In his first public remarks on the matter, Burns reiterated the Biden administration’s stance that the United States had no involvement in Prigozhin’s rebellion or its aftermath.
Earlier this week, Burns personally reached out to the head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, to convey the same message. This phone conversation between directors is considered the highest-level engagement between the U.S. and Russia since the short-lived assault carried out by Prigozhin, which posed a significant challenge to Putin’s more than two-decade grip on power.
President Biden has emphasized that the U.S. has been proactive in ensuring that Putin cannot blame the West or NATO for the events in Russia, stating that it is crucial to deny him any excuses. Biden also remarked that Putin has become an international pariah.
Lynne Tracy, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, conveyed similar messages to the Russian Foreign Ministry during the recent events. The State Department confirmed that the U.S. expects its diplomatic personnel in Russia to be protected.
Before the rebellion led by Prigozhin, Burns had visited Ukraine regularly since the war began. During these visits, he met with Ukrainian intelligence counterparts and President Zelenskyy, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to sharing intelligence and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
U.S. intelligence agencies had been monitoring the escalating tensions between Prigozhin and the Russian military for months. They briefed the administration and Congress on the potential for an armed rebellion shortly before it occurred.
The CIA declined to comment on Burns’ latest visit to Kyiv, which was first reported by The Washington Post.
Burns, a career diplomat and former ambassador to Russia, has been frequently deployed by President Biden to address sensitive international developments. He played a pivotal role in engaging with the Taliban prior to the fall of Kabul in August 2021, as well as in facilitating discussions with Chinese counterparts after a freeze in U.S.-China relations.
Burns and Naryshkin had previously encountered each other face-to-face in a rare and tense meeting in Turkey, where Burns warned Moscow against the use of nuclear weapons. However, their interaction was described as dispiriting by Burns, with Naryshkin displaying defiance.
In November 2021, Burns was also sent to Moscow to warn Putin against invading Ukraine, and he later briefed President Zelenskyy on the latest U.S. intelligence regarding Russia’s plans.
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