Budanov was a member of an elite Ukrainian unit trained by the CIA - NYT

The head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), Kyrylo Budanov, was once a member of an elite Ukrainian unit trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The intelligence officer was famous for his operations behind enemy lines, in particular in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

After the successful landing on the peninsula, the US intelligence service wanted to close this partnership intelligence program, fearing that it would lead to an escalation with Russia. The New York Times reported on the Ukrainian general's participation in the program.

According to journalists, the CIA began training an elite Ukrainian unit known as 2245 in 2016. Its fighters captured Russian drones and communications equipment, after which the US intelligence services had the opportunity to recreate them or break Moscow's encryption systems.

As a result, a new generation of Ukrainian spies grew up, operating in Russia, Europe, Cuba, and other places where Russia had a large presence.

"One of the officers in this unit was Kyrylo Budanov, now a general who heads Ukraine's military intelligence," the NYT article says.

The investigators substantiated this information based on a huge number of interviews with current and former officials from Ukraine, the United States, and Europe. They say that Budanov himself was a star of the special forces at the time and was famous for high-profile operations behind enemy lines.

It is speculated that he may also have had close ties to the CIA: the US intelligence service continued to train him, and he was sent for rehabilitation at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland after he was injured during a mission in Donbas.

Journalists of The New York Times shared information about how Budanov and other soldiers of the unit changed into Russian uniforms and landed in the middle of the night in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The scouts got there on an inflatable boat, and upon arrival, Russian special forces were waiting for them.

"The Ukrainians fought back, killing several Russian soldiers, including the general's son, after which they retreated to the coastline, entered the sea, and sailed for several hours ( according to Budanov, it took eight hours - Ed.) to the territory controlled by Ukraine," the article says.

They added that after that, the CIA program in Ukraine was on the verge of closing, as Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of "preparing a terrorist attack." Joe Biden, who was then US Vice President, contacted the President of Ukraine and said that such actions created big problems. But the then head of the CIA, John Brennan, insisted that the unit continue its work.

As a reminder, on February 25, the NYT published a major article titled "Spy War: How the CIA Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin." The article described "12 secret US bases" in Ukraine and cooperation with the US CIA, which was recruited by Lieutenant General Valeriy Kondratyuk, the former head of the GUR and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

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