Russian Economy Faces Risk Of Collapse — US Intelligence

The United States has warned Russia that it risks repeating the economic collapse of the Soviet Union if it continues its war against Ukraine, according to US Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe. The CIA chief made this statement during a visit to Moscow in late August, as reported by the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Ratcliffe conveyed to Russian leadership American intelligence's assessment of Russia's actual condition, which includes both the military stalemate in Donbas and the impact of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory. However, the main threat to Moscow, according to the American assessment, is the potential economic collapse of Russia if the war continues. This parallels the economic scenario that led to the Soviet Union's collapse at the end of the Cold War, should Russia persist in its conflict with Ukraine.

Ratcliffe emphasized that further escalation would only worsen Russia's position. The US has no plans to abandon its support for Ukraine and has made it clear that Russia should move toward negotiations rather than attempting to achieve military superiority. While there have been reports linking Ratcliffe's visit to a warning about the unacceptability of expanding the war to NATO countries, FAZ's source indicates that the primary purpose of the trip was to convey US intelligence's assessment of Russia's military and economic situation.

The Russian government plans to raise taxes again for citizens and businesses to increase federal budget revenues, a significant portion of which goes toward funding Russia's war against Ukraine.