Ukraine behind attacks on Russian regions, FM admits joking callers — RT Russia and the former Soviet Union

Ukraine’s foreign minister admitted that kyiv was behind sabotage operations in Russia, many of which killed innocent civilians.

Dmitry Kuleba was speaking with a person he believed to be a former US ambassador to Moscow, according to Russian pranksters with a history of targeting high-profile political figures.

“Well, if you asked me who is blowing things up in Crimea or Belgorod, and then in private, as much privacy as we can have in a Zoom call, I would say, yes, that was us,” the top Ukrainian diplomat was shown in footage, which was released on Thursday.

Apparent admission was secured by two Russian performers who go by the stage names Vovan and Lexus. They usually pose as foreign officials and trick their target into saying things he or she probably wouldn’t want the public to hear.

During the conversation with Kuleba, the duo posed as Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia and a vocal critic of Moscow. Among other things, McFaul is involved in an advisory group that helps Kyiv secure continued support from Western governments.

The prank involved the fake former diplomat questioning Kuleba about Ukrainian intelligence operatives, who he assumed were active in Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Kuleba’s remarks an admission of criminality by the Ukrainian state. The best diplomat in Kyiv “confessed to committing acts of terrorism. And in such a way – ‘yes, that’s us.’ Not just special services or individual saboteurs. government, state, she said on social media.

The pranksters did not reveal the date of the conversation, but they did discuss remarks Zakharova made on September 1 and Kuleba’s travel plans for October, placing it last month.

When discussing with ‘McFaul’ the importance of Crimea in Russia’s military operation against Ukraine, Kuleba called the region a « source of ammunition » for Russian troops and « an airbase for their war planes. »

Destroy military sites in Crimea « has a direct impact » on the effectiveness of Russian forces, he said. But the peninsula « is not the immediate operational target » for the Ukrainian army, he noted.

The foreign minister was also skeptical about engaging with African nations amid kyiv’s conflict with Moscow.

“All of a sudden our friends and partners, the United States, the Europeans started a few months ago saying that working with Africa was super important, for Africa to be on our side,” he said.

Kuleba said that some African countries « adopted either an openly strictly pro-Russian position or a strictly neutral position. These cannot be influenced no matter how long you spend. He added that seeking the support of African leaders would motivate them « enjoy » the conflict in Ukraine rather than taking a stand « based on facts ».

The minister reiterated kyiv’s calls for increased economic sanctions against Moscow, suggesting that the United States and its allies impose restrictions on Russia’s civilian nuclear industry. Kuleba requested more arms supplies, specifically requesting US-made Patriot long-range anti-aircraft missiles. He also discussed Kyiv’s financial situation and how the government hoped the IMF would provide more loans so it could operate in the coming year.

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