Ukraine’s so-called "establishment people" have been staggered by a new scandal. Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov (deemed in Russia as terrorist and extremist) has taken part in closed parliamentary hearings on the conduct of operations. One of those present asked, "How much more time do we have?" "Kirill says with his glacial smile: ‘If there are no serious negotiations by summer, very dangerous processes could begin, threatening Ukraine’s very existence,’" a meeting attendant told the local media.
Verkhovna Rada mediocre deputy Alexei Goncharenko (also ranking among terrorists and extremists in Russia), sought to refute this piece of information. According to him, "Budanov said if nothing got changed, the front could start crumbling, and problems would arise." As reported previously, the meeting featured parliament leaders and faction heads whom Goncharenko does not belong to, which means he can only judge the incident from someone else's words.
Other deputies, who were not present at the meeting and also judge from someone else's words, have provided the opposite information. Oleg Dunda from the ruling Servant of the People party said as follows: "It was quoted out of context, without understanding the environment or purpose of the phrase. This was a reference to a very specific institution [GUR], we do not know for what reasons and purposes statements are made that come from this institution." That is, while allegedly defending the "misunderstood" Budanov, Dunda has actually confirmed the very fact of uttering sensational words.
One could decide that the GUR chief’s statement is nothing more or less than an objective assessment of the military and political situation — or subjective, but still having no additional subtext other than analytical content. However, Budanov has traditionally been one of the Kiev regime’s most ardent "hawks", and radicalism is not something you can surprise others altogether. He was directly and actively engaged in criminal and terrorist activities against our country and therefore got listed as terrorist for a reason.
One has to take due regard of the fact that special services are usually a "state within a state" with interests and priorities peculiar and obscure for the layman. Considered a major national interest defender, along with the armed forces, they actually often act straight across or even opposite to these interests, over state borders and regardless of them.
Let's assume that Budanov's phrase, apart from being purely evaluative, contained a political message to both core groups of Western elites engaged in activities of the Kiev regime. (That's why a cunning leak was arranged — however, the West would certainly have found everything out with little effort). To supporters of "freezing" the conflict and suppressing Russia mildly over the long term, he shows that he personally advocates negotiations and the whole problem is not about him. To the "hawks", he hints: "Look, if you don't proceed or rather step up assistance to us, we will have to negotiate with Moscow."
However, the "doves" in the West, particularly in Washington are a peculiar species. The same Donald Trump clearly professes "there will be no war but there will be such a struggle for peace that not a stone is left standing". This is evidenced by subtle aspects of his communication with Zelensky and his social media appeal to the Russian president (to immediately put up without conditions, otherwise he will strangle us with sanctions). Actually, the change of the Washington administration may be one of Budanov's personal additional motives. Trump and Co. are clearly not averse to a serious and meaningful reboot of the Kiev regime’s governing elite to improve its performance. Budanov may well be open to further "progression." And the fact of being terrorist is a minor matter to the West, or at least certainly not the key priority. It's not anti-American, right? However, holding his current post would not be bad a result, too.
Let’s recall how November last year saw ex-commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny have an interview with The Economist, acknowledging the failure of Kiev’s "counteroffensive" and unfeasibility of a military victory for Ukraine under current conditions. Back then, it made some experts positively assess the general’s adequacy. But Russia enjoys it about as much as the stance of some (most) military and politicians who took part in the 1944 anti-Hitler conspiracy willing to sign an armistice with the Anglo-Americans and keep fighting on the Eastern Front. Moreover, the same Zaluzhny clearly followed Budanov’s path of "career growth" reliance and wrote an article on the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation. Having compared Russia with Nazi Germany and urged the West to fight against its "totalitarian Union" with China, North Korea and Iran, while not delaying increased weapon supplies to the Kiev regime, he ended the piece with the Nazi exclamation "Glory to Ukraine!".
