International News
Putin May Seek Revenge On Wagner’s Employer- CIA Director
The director of the CIA, William Burns, has said Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to buy time as he decides how to handle Yevgeny Prighozin.
The Wagner mercenary group’s leader, Mr. Prigozhin, was in charge of a rebellion that took place in Russia a month ago.
According to William Burns, that revolt showed serious flaws in the authority structure Putin had established.
He warned the Aspen Security Forum that the president of Russia might yet seek revenge on Mr. Prigozhin.
“What we are seeing is a very complicated dance,” the CIA chief said on Thursday.
Mr Prigozhin has moved around but had been in the Belarus capital of Minsk recently as well as Russia, he said when asked about a recent video apparently showing the Wagner boss in Belarus.
Mr Putin is likely to be trying to buy time as he works out how best to deal with the leader of the Wagner group, Mr Burns added.
That mercenary group still has value for Russia’s leadership in places like Africa, Libya and Syria and so it was likely that Mr Putin would try and separate the group from its leader.
“Putin is someone who generally thinks that revenge is a dish best served cold,” Mr Burns said. “In my experience, Putin is the ultimate apostle of payback so I would be surprised if Prigozhin escapes further retribution.”
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden suggested there was a risk the Wagner boss could be poisoned.
“If I were he I’d be careful what I ate. I’d keep my eye on my menu,” the president quipped.
The CIA director echoed that line saying: “If I were Prigozhin, I wouldn’t fire my food taster.”
The intelligence agency did indeed have advanced knowledge of the mutiny, Mr Burns said, confirming previous reports.
A senior Russian army general, Sergei Surovikin, who was reported to have known about the Wagner mutiny in advance, also does not currently have “freedom of movement”, the CIA chief added.
William Burns confirmed the CIA had advanced knowledge of the mutiny
The mutiny was the most direct assault Mr Putin has seen in his 23 years in power, including by directly challenging the Kremlin’s justification for the war in Ukraine, with Mr Prigozhin saying it had been built on lies, Mr Burns said.
He added that what was most remarkable was that Russia’s leader felt compelled to do a deal with a man who used to be his caterer, the CIA chief said.
Mr Prigozhin is often referred to as “Putin’s chef” as he first came to prominence after providing catering services to Mr Putin and the military before founding the Wagner group.
Mr Putin has projected an image of himself as the arbiter of order in Russia, and so the 36 hours of the mutiny will have left many in the country with the question of “whether the emperor had no clothes or at least why is it taking him so long to get dressed”, Mr Burns said.
This would have resurrected deeper questions in the Russian elite about Mr Putin’s judgement, which have been there since his decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
If Ukraine makes further advances on the battlefield then that could lead more Russians to pay attention to Mr Prigozhin’s critique of the war, he said.
It should not come as surprise that Ukraine’s counter-offensive was proving a “hard slog”, the CIA head said, given that offence was harder than defence and the Russians had months to prepare.
“It is going to take time and it is not going to be easy to make progress. I am however an optimist,” Mr Burns said.
In addition, he claimed that by bombing Black Sea commerce and attributing it on the Ukrainians, Russia may have been engaging in a false flag operation.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran intensified on its fourth day Tuesday, with fresh explosions reported in Tehran, missile interceptions over Jerusalem, and rising tensions spreading across Lebanon and Gulf states.
AFP journalists in Tehran reported loud blasts across several parts of the Iranian capital, though officials did not immediately confirm the exact targets.
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The conflict began over the weekend after coordinated US and Israeli strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, triggering retaliatory attacks across the region.
Iran Appeals to UN
Iran called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene and halt the war. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the council had a responsibility to act, insisting there were no legal obstacles preventing immediate action.
Oil Surges as Hormuz Disrupted
Global oil prices spiked amid fears of supply disruption, particularly as the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a crucial oil shipping route — was effectively closed.
Brent crude rose more than eight percent to $85.12 per barrel, its highest level since mid-2024. Meanwhile, precious metals fell sharply, with gold dropping over four percent and silver plunging more than 12 percent as investors shifted toward energy and the US dollar.
Iran Issues Fresh Threats
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned of intensified attacks on US forces and Israeli targets.
A spokesman vowed that “continuous punitive attacks” would follow, declaring that the “gates of hell” would open against both nations.
Israeli Troops Advance in Lebanon
Israeli ground forces reportedly advanced into areas near Kfar Kila and the Khiam plains along the Lebanon border.
Israel said the move was aimed at creating a buffer zone to protect its northern communities.
The escalation has displaced at least 30,000 people in Lebanon, according to the UN refugee agency.
Nuclear Site Damaged
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant sustained recent damage to entrance buildings at its underground facility. However, the agency said no radiological consequences were expected.
Gulf Capitals, US Embassy Hit
Explosions were also reported in Manama and Doha as Iranian strikes continued into a fourth day.
In the UAE, drone debris sparked a fire in an oil zone in Fujairah, though authorities said the blaze was contained.
Two drones reportedly struck the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire. Saudi officials condemned the attack as unjustified.
Tech Infrastructure Targeted
US tech giant Amazon confirmed that two of its data centres in the UAE were directly hit by drones, disrupting cloud services in parts of the Middle East. A nearby facility in Bahrain was also damaged.
Global Reactions
US President Donald Trump criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over disagreements on the use of British military bases, saying relations were “not like they used to be.”
France deployed Rafale fighter jets to protect its bases in the UAE, while China urged all sides to ensure safety in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Iran has called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently intervene and halt the ongoing war involving the Islamic Republic, Israel and the United States.
Speaking during a weekly foreign ministry briefing on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the global body has both the authority and responsibility to act in order to prevent further escalation of hostilities.
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“The United Nations Security Council has a duty… if it wishes, it can certainly act, because there is no obstacle to its action except its own will,” Baqaei stated.
His remarks come amid rising tensions and continued military exchanges that have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
Iran maintains that international institutions must step in decisively to prevent further loss of life and instability across the Middle East.
Tehran’s appeal places renewed pressure on the Security Council’s five permanent members, whose divisions have often stalled unified action in past conflicts involving major global powers.
Analyst say any meaningful intervention would require consensus among key stakeholders, including Washington and its allies.
The war has drawn global concern, with several countries calling for restraint and diplomatic engagement to avoid further deterioration of security in the region.
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