Russian President Vladimir Putin has “beheaded” the foreign intelligence department of the Federal Security Service (aka FSB) and put the chief and the deputy chief under house arrest, according to sources in Andrei Soldatov, an investigative journalist and expert in the Russian secret services.
“Putin appears to be truly unhappy with the FSB in Ukraine: he attacked the 5 Service SOiMS (FSB’s foreign Intelligence branch). Sergei Beseda, head of the Service, and his deputy Bolukh, head of the DOI, placed under house arrest, according to my sources inside,” says a tweet by Soldatov.
According to several Western assessments, the Russian military is having information difficulties in Ukraine, which is causing problems for the invading forces. In addition to some weather conditions that would be unfavorable to the armored advance, the Ukrainians would also have managed to put up credible resistance by carrying out coordinated attacks against Russian convoys.
Although they appear to be suffering from numerous logistical problems, the Russian military publishes propaganda images of soldiers making bread for those at the front, soldiers eating flowers at tables, while images of Russian soldiers stealing chickens from yards appear on Twitter people.
Early this week, the United States estimated that 8% to 10% of Russian military assets used in the invasion of Ukraine would have been destroyed or inoperable at the time. Lost equipment includes tanks, planes, artillery and other military equipment. The US figure was almost double the losses reported by CNN after the first week of the war, when it was estimated that Russia had lost between 3% and 5% of its military assets.
Putin urged Shoigu to enhance military deployment on Russia’s western borders in response to NATO reinforcements
Moreover, the Russian president is said to have urged his Defense minister, Serghey Şoigu to submit proposals for military deployments on Russia’s western borders in response to NATO consolidations in Eastern Europe.
“As for the strengthening of our western borders due to the actions taken by NATO states (…) this needs to be studied, I ask you to prepare a separate report for me and present it. Based on the discussion of the results, we will take a relevant decision in the near future, “Putin told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a televised meeting of the Russian Security Council, according to AFP.
NATO has deployed thousands of troops to Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania, to strengthen the eastern flank in response to Russian military intervention in Ukraine, while Moscow has called for a withdrawal of the Alliance from the region.