US intel predicted Russia’s invasion plans. Did it matter?

By NOMAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — For months, the White House repeatedly released its intelligence findings about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans to attack Ukraine. In the end, Putin attacked anyway. Russia’s invasion so far has played out largely as the Biden administration said it would in December, with nearly 200,000 troops striking from several sides of Ukraine. Lawmakers from both U.S. political parties on Thursday said the accurate predictions were a credit to the American intelligence community. But whether the White House’s unprecedented public campaign delayed or limited Putin’s plans will be debated for years to come. And some critics say both Washington and Kyiv could have done more beforehand.