A member of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle confronted him over the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, U.S. intelligence officials told President Joe Biden this week.

U.S. officials, speaking under the condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post: "Since the start of the occupation we have witnessed growing alarm from a number of Putin's inner circle."

Officials told Biden in his daily intelligence briefing that one of Putin's longtime friends from his time in the KGB and as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, confronted the Russian president over the war.

The insider said, "Our assessments suggest they are particularly exercised by recent Russian losses, misguided direction, and extensive military shortcomings."

One official said that "a lot of people" within Russia's government "are convinced this isn't going well [nor is it] the right course of action," and this is "consistent with the way in which the campaign has gone for the Russians, and the atmospherics in the Kremlin."

A Kremlin spokesperson denied these claims as "absolutely not true" in a statement to the Post.

"There are working arguments about the economy, about the conduct of the military operation. There are arguments about the education system," said spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

"This is part of the normal working process, and it is not a sign of any split."

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