Russian President Vladimir Putin sees domestic and international developments trending in his favor and likely will press aggressive tactics in Ukraine, but the war is unlikely to end anytime soon, the top U.S. intelligence official said on May 2. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russia had intensified strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure to hamper Kyiv's ability to move arms and troops, slow defense production, and force it to consider negotiations. Russia's increasingly aggressive tactics were meant to signal to Ukraine that continuing to fight will only increase the damage, she said.
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