The head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk and the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (MDI) Kyrylo Budanov held a joint working meeting against the background of a WSJ investigation into the conflict between the agencies. They discussed future joint special operations of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Security Service, which should bring the victory of Ukraine closer.
Both leaders emphasize that there are no differences between the special services.
In its message, the SBU indicated that special services work in close cooperation 24/7: "Together we protect the country, destroy the enemy, jointly develop new special operations and successfully implement them."
"The enemy will very quickly feel the results of the interaction between the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine — new surprises await the occupiers," Malyuk noted.
The MDI stated that the rumors about the alleged misunderstanding between the heads of intelligence and the SBU are "hostile narratives that are refuted by the daily joint work to neutralize the enemy."
- On March 5, 2022, it was reported that representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine shot and killed banker Denys Kireev in Kyiv during the detention, who participated in the negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia in Homel on February 28. He was allegedly suspected of treason.
- The day before, The Wall Street Journal published a text in which it tells how Kireev got into negotiations with Russia and warned the head of intelligence Kyrylo Budanov about the invasion and attack on Kyiv on February 23, 2022. It turns out that Kireev was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence several years ago, and his testimony helped Kyiv survive the first hours of the attack.
- A member of the negotiation process with Russia and adviser to the head of the Presidentʼs Office Mykhailo Podolyak informed that the murder of Denys Kireev was connected with the poor coordination of the Ukrainian special services at the beginning of the war.