Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Budanov Weighs in on CNN’s Sudan Drone Strike Reports: Tensions, Mercenaries, and Geopolitical Maneuvers.
Kyrylo Budanov, the Chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency, weighed in on the swirling rumors surrounding Ukraine’s purported role in drone operations in Sudan. In an interview referenced by Ukrainska Pravda, Budanov neither confirmed nor refuted CNN’s narratives surrounding this topic. Crucially, he highlighted the involvement of the Wagner Group, a notorious Russian mercenary outfit, in both orchestrating and executing the coup in Sudan.
Delving deeper, Budanov remarked, “I declared unequivocally a year ago that all Russian belligerents who have, are, or plan to combat Ukraine will face retribution, no matter their global coordinates. Regarding the veracity of the details in CNN’s dispatches, my lips are sealed. The onus is on the public to decipher.” Through these words, he underscores Ukraine’s unyielding posture towards adversaries, subtly insinuating potential culpability in the drone operations under discussion.
Unexpected Deliberations: Selenskyj and Sudan’s Transitional Chief
President Volodymyr Selenskyj, in an update, unveiled that an impromptu meeting materialized with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan’s Transitional Government spearhead, during his return journey from Canada. The dialogue saw Selenskyj extending gratitude to Sudan for standing firm by Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial claims. The duo navigated discussions on shared security impediments, spotlighting the covert operations of illicit militia factions bankrolled by Russia. Further solidifying ties, Selenskyj extended an invitation to the Sudanese figurehead to champion the ‘Grain From Ukraine’ drive and partake in a forthcoming summit.
The Underlying Saga: Drone Onslaughts in Sudan Targeting Wagner Affiliates
Peeling back the layers, Ukrainska Pravda underscores that CNN, leaning on a Ukrainian defense insider, revealed the potential complicity of Ukrainian intelligence in drone assaults in Sudan. These aerial offensives reportedly zeroed in on insurgents backed by the Wagner Group. The modus operandi of these drones, it was pointed out, was uncharacteristically advanced for both Sudanese standards and the broader African theatre.
Image: president.gov.ua, President’s participation in the events on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s military intelligence 03, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)