Ukrainian navy intelligence commander Ok. Budanov spoke about what awaits the Russians and whether or not he believes in J. Prigozhin’s dying

When the 38-year-old Ok. Budanov arrived for an interview with the Monetary Instances newspaper and entered by way of the door embellished with a spiritual icon, he instantly ordered his assistant to show off the lights. “I just like the darkish,” he stated.

As the pinnacle of the Intelligence Unit (GUR) of the Ministry of Protection, Ok. Budanov leads Ukraine’s secret conflict with Russia and has turn into one of the crucial admired figures of the fighters in Kyiv. Having survived 10 assassination makes an attempt, he lives kind of completely on this workplace on the outskirts of the capital, the place patriotic artwork and conflict memorabilia cling on the partitions and his pet frog, Petro, swims in an aquarium subsequent to his desk.

Reuters/Scanpix/Chief of Protection Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov

Ok. Budanov’s job is to prepare assaults behind enemy strains within the territory occupied by Russia and in Russia itself. However the intelligence chief hardly ever takes credit score for them, leaving Moscow and the remainder of the world speculating regarding his directorate’s powers.

In his division’s newest exploits this week, drones flew so far as St. Petersburg and struck an oil terminal, in addition to focusing on a gunpowder manufacturing facility and an oil depot within the Bryansk area, north of the Ukrainian border.

This brazen tactic generally irritates Ukraine’s Western supporters; some worry it can provoke a brutal and probably even nuclear response from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The intelligence chief is unfazed by such fears and guarantees to proceed working deep inside Russia to sabotage Putin’s conflict machine.

Plans to proceed assaults in Russia