Putin believes he cannot afford to lose in Ukraine: CIA director

CIA director Bill Burns on Saturday opined that Russian President Vladimir Putin firmly believes that he cannot afford to lose in Ukraine and is adding more force to the war but shows no signs of planning to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

Even though Russian troops are finding it hard to capture Kyiv and are also struggling to advance along the war's main frontlines in the south-eastern Donbas region, Putin is adamant that his military force will succeed in defeating Ukraine’s defense, Burns said.

"I think he's in a frame of mind in which he doesn't believe he can afford to lose," Burns said.

The CIA director further mentioned that Putin has been "stewing for years over Ukraine, once part of the Soviet Union, in a very combustible combination of grievance and ambition and insecurity."

Even facing the strong resistance from Ukraine, Putin remains undeterred “because he staked so much on the choices that he made to launch this invasion,".

"I think he's convinced right now that doubling down still will enable him to make progress," Burns added.