Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, has publicly stated that his nation can eavesdrop on communications involving top-ranking Russian officials. His comments emerge in the wake of leaked diplomatic calls between Russia and the United States, which suggested Ukrainian intelligence was bypassed in peace negotiations regarding Ukraine-Russia relations.

The leaked conversations, obtained by Western media outlets but not named here, reportedly involved a call where U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff allegedly gave guidance to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov on crafting a peace proposal that might align with former President Donald Trump’s administration policies. Separately, another recording detailed Moscow’s informal conditions for ending the conflict.

Budanov confirmed his country’s capability during an interview when asked whether Ukraine could intercept such calls. “We can, yes. We get money for this,” he reportedly replied without elaborating further on specifics or acknowledging any direct involvement in the leak itself.

While Kyiv vehemently denied orchestrating these leaks and dismissing them as a tool to impede peace efforts, Budanov’s remarks subtly implied Ukrainian capability while leaving room for interpretation about their source. The origin of the recordings remains unverified despite various claims circulating among multiple parties involved—though U.S.-Russia relations are under strain from this breach.

Ushakov, who was at the center of the leak controversy, previously suggested that some materials might be fabricated or manipulated and warned against damaging leaks harming international trust between nations. He compared the situation to previous incidents where sensitive communications were revealed without proper authorization, referencing past U.S.-Russian intelligence complications involving figures like Michael Flynn.

In response to widespread speculation about responsibility for releasing the recordings, a Trump official implicated external intelligence agencies as potential sources but insisted that Steve Witkoff was indirectly targeted due to his role in these discussions.