CIA Has Been Operating Secretly In Ukraine, Say ‘Current And Former Officials’

cia in ukraine
Office of the President of the United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This week President Joe Biden is in Europe for the G-7 Summit, where discussions about Russian sanctions and Ukrainian aid will undoubtedly be front and center. The West has been attempting to balance assistance to Ukraine, staving off a World War 3 scenario with Russia, and a worldwide economic crisis with looming food insecurity in the background.

While it is well known that the United States has provided billions of dollars of economic, humanitarian, and military aid, the Pentagon has been vague on the intelligence the U.S. has provided.

However, ‘current and former’ officials claim that CIA personnel have continued to work in secret within Ukraine’s borders, primarily in the capital of Kiev. The U.S. government has a standing policy of not confirming CIA personnel activity anywhere in the world.

However, there never seems to be a drought of ‘current and former’ officials willing to talk.

Spooks On The Ground

Reports indicate that the United States isn’t the only one with intelligence operatives within Ukraine’s borders. British, French, Canadian, and Lithuanian commandos allegedly work to direct intelligence sharing throughout the country.

What is known is intelligence sharing and collaboration has been happening outside the borders of Ukraine and seem to have grown exponentially. For example, the United States Army’s 10th Special Forces Group built a coalition planning cell when the Russian invasion first started.

This cell was set up with the idea of organizing, directing, and disseminating lethal intelligence. Instead, this relatively small cell has now blossomed into a collaborative brain hub of over 20 nations. 

A community that used to be known for being unknown now freely boasts its work and accomplishments. For example, Lt. General Jonathan Braga, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, told senators in April:

“What is an untold story is the international partnership with the special operations forces of a multitude of different countries. They have absolutely banded together in a much outsized impact.”

Undoubtedly, this statement is welcome to the Pentagon, which, along with the intelligence community, has faced criticism surrounding its ability or apparent inability to judge other nations’ willingness to fight.

RELATED: Marco Rubio: What’s Next In Ukraine? Americans Deserve A Plan

Reassurances Of Support From G-7

The G-7 announced reassurance to Ukraine that they “…will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

This announcement is meant to assuage Ukrainian fears that the West has grown weary of a war meant to only last a few days.

The fear that Ukraine has is best described by a political analyst with the Penta Center, Volodymyr Fesenko, who said:

“It is obvious that Russia is determined to wear down the West and it’s now building its strategy on the assumption that Western countries will get tired and gradually begin to change their militant rhetoric to a more accommodating one.”

While the message from the G-7 seems to be unwavering support, a question remains if the support provided is what Ukraine needs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the G-7 for more military assistance, specifically for anti-aircraft defense systems.

The war seems to be taking the form of ground and air battles that the Ukrainians suffer dearly from at 200 soldiers a day. That begs the question of whether intelligence is enough.

RELATED: Biden Announces $1 Billion In Military Aid To Ukraine Despite Rumors Of Waning Western Support

We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

The reality is we aren’t entirely sure what the actual ground truth is regarding the war in Ukraine. Moreover, those same ‘current and former’ officials have said that American intelligence agencies have less information than they would like regarding Ukraine’s operations. 

A former official who actually has a name, Beth Sanner, said:

“How much do we really know about how Ukraine is doing? Can you find a person who will tell you with confidence how many troops has Ukraine lost, how many pieces of equipment has Ukraine lost?”

It’s not just our intelligence that seems to be a bit lost. Our foreign policy initiatives themselves seem to be shooting in the dark as well.

The Ruble Makes A Roaring Comeback

Economic sanctions were sold to the American people and largely to the world as a way to put a financial squeeze on the Russians. Sure it would cause short-term discomfort, but it would discourage Russia and help end the war.

As we head into the summer months with gas prices vaulting upwards past $5 per gallon, this has many Americans wondering when these sanctions will start working. Deputy chief economist at the Institute of International Finance Elina Ribakova scathingly rebuked those who recommended sanctions:

“…that cutting Russia from financing for a few weeks at the beginning of the war would stop the war have proven naive.”

Since the war, Russia has been bringing in $20 billion a month from energy exports.

And while the Biden administration claimed the Ruble would become rubble, it appears to have risen from the ashes. The Russian Ruble is now the best-performing currently in the world. 

RELATED: Russia’s Economic Resilience Begs The Question: Who Is Biden Really Sanctioning; Russia Or The American People?

What Price Are We Willing To Pay?

I, like most Americans and Europeans, support aid to Ukraine, however, not at the expense of our security, both economically and militarily. Perhaps what causes some wavering of support is unclear end goals. 

Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, highlights this issue well:

“…there are hints of different tensions over what the West’s goals should be. Those have yet been clearly defined.”

With victory in this conflict a vague vision, it may be difficult to convince Americans to sacrifice more, particularly as we head into the mid-term elections. The last aid package was set to get Ukraine through the fiscal year. 

That leaves the next possible package up for a vote as early as October this year, right before the midterms. Besides the fiscal and political implications, there is also the threat of Russian escalation.

This past Sunday, a Russian news broadcast boasted that they only use 18% of their Army. Additionally, a former deputy commander of Russian forces hinted at possible nuclear engagement over the Lithuanian blockade of Kaliningrad, stating:

“The first to be hit will be London.”

While the alleged CIA personnel working in Kiev might not be enough to ruffle the feathers of Putin, the biggest unknown is; how far can we go until Putin makes good on his threats?

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USAF Retired, Bronze Star recipient, outspoken veteran advocate. Hot mess mom to two monsters and wife to equal parts... More about Kathleen J. Anderson

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