Putin Demands Answers After Russian Intelligence Misses Assad’s Impending Fall
Russia’s decision to essentially push Assad out of Syria after concluding his regime was on the verge of collapse highlights a significant intelligence failure within the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin’s subsequent demand for answers from Russia’s intelligence service underscores the gravity of this miscalculation. The fact that Assad’s impending downfall wasn’t foreseen until it was nearly too late points to systemic issues within the Russian intelligence apparatus.
This failure to accurately assess the situation in Syria mirrors other intelligence failures attributed to Russia, such as the grossly inaccurate assessment of the Ukrainian resistance prior to the invasion. The belief that a swift victory in Ukraine could be achieved without significant pushback demonstrates a pattern of wishful thinking rather than grounded analysis.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood