U.S. spy chief says Russian forces show “reckless disregard” for Ukrainian civilians

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday that Russian forces are operating with “reckless disregard” for civilians as they face stronger-than-expected resistance in Ukraine and intelligence agencies are tracking their actions to hold them to account.

“The IC (intelligence community) is engaged across the interagency to document and hold Russia and Russian actors accountable for their actions,” Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on worldwide threats to U.S. security.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu and Patricia Zengerle; editing by Chizu Nomiyama)