Russia has accused Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), of terrorism. He has been charged in absentia and placed on an official wanted list.
The acts of terrorism refer to more than 100 drone attacks on Russian territory, or Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia, such as Crimea.
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The HUR called the Russian statement “delusional.”
“This is some sort of identity crisis among the Russian Gestapo,” said Andriy Yusov, a HUR spokesman, in a conversation with Kyiv Post.
“I’m convinced that Kyrylo Budanov doesn’t pay any mind to such propagandistic delusions.”
Budanov, a 37-year-old former commando whose exploits are the stuff of legend, skyrocketed through the ranks of Ukraine’s military intelligence to become a general by the age of 35. He claims to have been the target of no less than 10 Russian assassination attempts, one of which, a car explosion, left him seriously injured.
In addition, due to drone attacks, Ukraine’s Air Force, Navy, and 383rd Unmanned Aviation Brigade commanders – Mykola Oleshchuk, Oleksiy Neizhpapa and Serhiy Burdenyuk respectively – have also been accused of terrorism.
According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, enough evidence has been collected to implicate Ukraine’s top military leadership in the organization of terrorist attacks in Russia.
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HUR spokesman Yusov, on the other hand, emphasizes that these charges have no legal significance.
“These actions of the so-called Investigative Committee of the so-called Russian Federation have no legal significance, neither in Ukraine nor abroad,” he said.
Yusov also noted that such accusations only confirm Ukraine’s successes.
“This is yet another recognition of how effective the Ukrainian security and defense forces are,” he said.
The Russian report claimed that from April 2022 to September 2023, more than 100 drone strikes were carried out on targets in the Russian Federation. The attacks occurred in the Moscow, Belgorod, Bryansk and Rostov regions, as well as others. They have also taken place on Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by Russia, such as Crimea.
“It was also established that the defendants were involved in crimes committed by their subordinates,” the Russian report said.
Ukrainian special services and Ukrainian partisans are increasingly striking at military facilities of the Russian Federation, among which an Oct. 1 drone attack on the Smolensk aircraft plant that produces Kh-59 missiles.
Ukrainian forces also launched a missile strike on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea with the help of local partisans.
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