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WORLD NEWS Monday 5 deceMber 2022

U.S. intel chief thinking ‘optimistically’ for Ukraine forces

By JAMEY KEATEN and NO-
MAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The
head of U.S. intelligence
says fighting in Russia’s war
in Ukraine is running at a
“reduced tempo” and
suggests Ukrainian forces
could have brighter pros-
pects in coming months.
Avril Haines alluded to past
allegations by some that
Russian President Vladi-
mir Putin’s advisers could
be shielding him from bad
news — for Russia — about
war developments, and
said he “is becoming more
informed of the challenges
that the military faces in
Russia.”
“But it’s still not clear to us
that he has a full picture
of at this stage of just how
challenged they are,” Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, plays with children who have been
Haines, the U.S. director of driven from their homes in the country’s eastern and southern regions because of the war, in Kyiv,
national intelligence, said Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022.
Saturday at the Reagan Associated Press
National Defense Forum in ror. Levada Center, Russia’s occupation. In his nightly threatened Saturday to
Simi Valley, California. top independent pollster, address on Saturday, Ukrai- stop supplying the nations
She said her team was found in a similar poll car- nian President Volodymyr that endorsed it.
“seeing a kind of a re- ried out in November that Zelenskyy lashed out at “We will sell oil and oil prod-
duced tempo already of 53% of respondents sup- Western efforts to crimp ucts to those countries,
the conflict” and looking ported peace talks, 41% Russia’s crucial oil industry, which will work with us on
ahead expects both sides spoke in favor of continu- a key source of funds for market conditions, even if
will look to refit, resupply, ing the fight, and 6% were Putin’s war machine, saying we have to somewhat cut
and reconstitute for a pos- undecided. It said that poll their $60-per-barrel price production,” Deputy Prime
sible Ukrainian counter-of- of 1,600 people had a mar- cap on imports of most Rus- Minister Alexander Novak
fensive in the spring. gin of error of no more than sian oil was insufficient. “It is said Sunday.
“But we actually have a fair 3.4%. not a serious decision to set In yet another show of West-
amount of skepticism as to The British Defense Min- such a limit for Russian pric- ern support for Ukraine’s
whether or not the Russians istry noted that “despite es, which is quite comfort- efforts to battle back Rus-
will be in fact prepared to the Russian authorities’ ef- able for the budget of the sian forces and cope with
do that,” Haines said. “And forts to enforce pervasive terrorist state,” Zelenskyy fallout from the war, U.S.
I think more optimistically control of the information said, referring to Russia. He Under Secretary of State
for the Ukrainians in that environment, the conflict said the $60-per-barrel lev- for Political Affairs Victoria
time frame.” has become increasingly el would still allow Russia to Nuland on Saturday visited
On Sunday, the British Min- tangible for many Russians” bring in $100 billion in rev- the operations of a Ukraini-
istry of Defense, in its lat- since Putin in September enues per year. an aid group that provides
est intelligence estimate, ordered a “partial mobiliza- “This money will go not only support for internally dis-
pointed to new signs from tion” of reservists to bolster to the war and not only to placed people in Ukraine,
an independent Russian his forces in Ukraine. further sponsorship by Rus- among her other visits with
media outlet that public “With Russia unlikely to sia of other terrorist regimes top Ukrainian officials.
support in Russia for the mili- achieve major battlefield and organisations. This Nuland assembled dolls
tary campaign was “falling successes in the next sev- money will be used for fur- out of yarn in the blue-and-
significantly.” eral months, maintaining ther destabilisation of those yellow colors of Ukraine’s
Meduza said it obtained a even tacit approval of the countries that are now try- flag with youngsters from
recent confidential opin- war amongst the popula- ing to avoid serious deci- regions including Kharkiv
ion survey conducted by tion is likely to be increas- sions,” Zelenskyy said. in the northeast, Kherson
the Federal Protection Ser- ingly difficult for the Krem- Australia, Britain, Canada, in the south and Donetsk in
vice, which is in charge of lin,” the British ministry said. Japan, the United States the east.
guarding the Kremlin and In recent weeks, Russia’s and the 27-nation Europe- “This is psychological sup-
providing security to top military focus has been on an Union agreed Friday to port for them at an abso-
government officials. striking Ukrainian infrastruc- cap what they would pay lutely crucial time,” Nuland
The survey, commissioned ture nationwide, pressing for Russian oil at $60 per said.
by the Kremlin, found that an offensive in the Donetsk barrel. The limit is set to take “As President Putin knows
55% of respondents backed region city of Bakhmut and effect Monday, along with best, this war could stop
peace talks with Ukraine shelling sites in the city of an EU embargo on Russian today, if he chose to stop it
while 25% wanted the war Kherson, which Ukrainian oil shipped by sea. and withdrew his forces —
to go on. The report didn’t forces liberated last month Russian authorities have re- and then negotiations can
mention the margin of er- after an 8-month Russian jected the price cap and begin,” she added.q