CIA's Burns: Putin Will Retaliate Against Wagner Chief

CIA Director Williams Burns expressed doubt that Vladimir Putin is done with the Wagner mercenary chief who attempted a rebellion, calling the Russian president the "ultimate apostle of payback."

Burns made the comments Thursday during a fireside chat at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado.

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was allowed to return to Belarus after the uprising, which saw Prigozhin lead his troops within 125 miles of Moscow just about a month ago. Prigozhin called it a "march of justice" before calling off his mercenaries and agreeing to exile.

Burns said he doesn't buy it.

"I think Putin is someone who generally thinks that revenge is a dish best served cold," Burns told the interviewer, NPR host Mary Louise Kelly, on Thursday. "I would be surprised if Prigozhin escapes further retribution for this.

"In that sense ... if I were Prigozhin, I wouldn't fire my food taster." 

Prigozhin has since returned to Russia, visiting St. Petersburg and Fontanka to reclaim weapons, per Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who talked Prigozhin out of marching into Moscow.

In addition to sending Prigozhin back to Belarus, the Kremlin announced the criminal case against him would be closed.

But Burns said Putin could lead an effort to ultimately get Prigozhin's troops — without Prigozhin.

"I think what he's going to do is separate Prigozhin and undercut him but preserve what's of value to him," Burns said. 

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