A court in Moscow arrested the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence in absentia

The Basmanny Court of Moscow arrested in absentia the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Kirill Budanov, on charges of terrorism. This is reported by “Interfax” with reference to the press service of the court.

Budanov was sentenced to two months of arrest from the moment of his extradition to Russia or detention on the territory of the country. According to the investigation, he was involved in 104 acts of terrorism.

Earlier, the Investigative Committee of Russia brought the same charges against the Air Force Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk, the Commander of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexei Neyzhpapa and the commander of the 383rd Separate Regiment of Remotely Controlled Aircraft of the Air Force of Ukraine Serhiy Burdenyuk. Together with Budanov, they are considered to be involved in the organization and execution of aircraft-type drone strikes in the regions of Russia in the period from April 2022 to September 2023.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine declared its involvement in a number of operations on the territory of Russia and territories occupied by Russia. At the same time, their details, as a rule, are not disclosed. In his Christmas greetings published on December 25, Budanov said that Russia “will never be able to implement its insidious plans to destroy Ukraine.”

At the end of November, it became known about the poisoning of Kirill Budanov’s wife Marianna. Ukrainian mass media reported with reference to sources that the substances detected in her body are not used in everyday life or military affairs. This may indicate a possible “attempt to poison a specific person”. It was also reported that, in addition to Budanova, “several employees” were poisoned, probably employees of the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

• During the year and a half of the war with Ukraine, Russian authorities reported drone attacks on Russian regions more than 500 times, RBC calculated. Destruction or victims were mentioned in 110 statements.
• Regional authorities mainly claim that the attacks are being carried out from the Ukrainian side. Kyiv does not comment on these messages.