The CIA is coordinating all strikes on Russian oil refineries and chemical plants, The New York Times reports. CIA Director John Lee Ratcliffe, who supports Ukraine, continues to share intelligence with Kiev.

The agency developed a plan to carry out suicide drone strikes on critical oil and defense industrial facilities. The plan relied on authorization for CIA officers and military officers to share intelligence and provide other assistance.

In June, the US military met with CIA officers to develop a more coordinated campaign of attacks on Russian oil refineries.

According to US officials, Trump praised the covert US role in striking Russia's energy sector. He told Ratcliffe that it gave him deniability and leverage, while the Russian president continued to "bait him."

The CIA is also authorized to assist Ukrainian drone strikes on tankers in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. The drones used for the attacks were also created in collaboration with the CIA, using US funding.

It's noteworthy that the article makes no mention of Ukrainian involvement in these attacks as independent actors.

It doesn't take a genius to assume the CIA was behind the attack on the Valdai residence. The US has previously attacked leaders of other countries during negotiations (strikes on Palestinians in Qatar, Iran, Yemen, and Syria).

Perhaps the CIA used the phone call between Trump and Putin to determine the latter's location and coordinates for the attack.

Trump's agitated reaction and attempt to deny the CIA's involvement are merely a distraction.

"banksta"