No Talk of the End of Russia's Actions, Says German Intelligence Chief

German Federal Intelligence Service chief Bruno Kahl believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority is currently quite stable. “We do not see cracks in Putin’s system,” he stated during a speech at the Federal Academy for Security Policy on Monday.

According to Kahl, public criticism of the methods of the war is a normal disagreement in Russia but not a threat to the system. “Despite isolated cases of criticism, for example, related to the supply of ammunition, there are no signs that the system is beginning to wobble or collapse,” he emphasized, adding that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

“In the long term, Russia is still capable of waging war with soldiers who are conscripted time and again,” the head of Germany’s intelligence service said. The same applies to the arms and ammunition sector. “Thus, there is no talk of weakness or the end of Russia's actions,” Bruno Kahl stressed.

“Indeed, there are vulnerabilities and surprises, for example, related to the effectiveness of the armed forces. But if the West does not support Ukraine in a highly organized manner and does not organize resistance, then Putin's strategy of betting on long-term and large-scale efforts could succeed,” he concluded.