(CNN) Western intelligence agencies are waging a psychological war over Ukraine directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an expert at the genre, who is now effectively taking a dose of his own medicine. The remarkable detail of the declassified intelligence assessments must also be especially galling to Putin, a former KGB officer and intelligence chief. So what exactly are Western governments trying to do with this novel use of declassified intelligence assessments? But a drumbeat of humiliation for Russia could further sow discord inside the military, political and intelligence elites. Still, the problems encountered by the Russian invading force have surprised Western intelligence agencies and have caused a reassessment of assumptions about the supposed might of Russia's military forces and leadership.

Source: CNN April 02, 2022 00:56 UTC