The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence has responded to reports he is dead and videos featuring his image are AI-generated with a tongue-in-cheek response claiming a “squad of immortal commanders” is being created to haunt the dreams of Russian citizens.
Reports that Major General Kyrylo Budanov was killed or seriously injured have been circulating for weeks on social media ever since a Russian missile strike on Kyiv on May 29.
🚨Unconfirmed reports that Kyrylo Budanov, Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine since August 2020, was killed in a Russian missile strike! More info coming soon! pic.twitter.com/WKrtrQGdZ3
— US Civil Defense News (@CaptCoronado) June 5, 2023
Russian state media quickly picked up the conspiracy theory, falsely claiming that Ukrainian media was reporting Budanov’s death.
And last week, chief Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, falsely claimed he was in a coma in Germany. The conspiracy theory has since grown with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, now falsely reported to have been killed or wounded, an unfounded rumor that Putin himself fueled over the weekend.
Even a video of Budanov published on June 11 in which he stares silently into the camera to emphasize how people should remain tight-lipped about Ukraine’s summer offensive, wasn’t enough to convince conpsiracy theorists he was alive, with many claiming his static pose was filmed because it was easier to fake using AI technology.
In an exclusive comment to Kyiv Post, Budanov finally addressed the conspiracy theory, saying: “Now in Ukraine, a special detachment of immortal commanders is being created – Valery Zaluzhny, myself, Stepan Bandera, Symon Petliura, Ivan Mazepa.
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“Therefore, the Russians and their propagandists will still have a lot of work to do in a nervous, hysterical environment.
“A squad of immortals will come in the middle of the night to the dreams of Russian citizens who wanted to take over Ukraine and give them nightmares.”
On Tuesday, Budanov also appeared in a joint photo with Japan's ambassador to Ukraine, Matsuda Kuninori.
⚡️Ukraine's Intelligence Chief Kyrylo #Budanov, for the first time since numerous Russian fakes about his injury or death appeared in a joint photo with Japan's ambassador to #Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori pic.twitter.com/iCkko7nr6D
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) June 20, 2023
Budanov has built an enigmatic reputation since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion, saying little publicly but making sure when he does that it packs a punch.
Last month he admitted Kyiv is behind the assassinations of prominent Russian propagandists, saying: “We’ve already successfully targeted quite a few people,” The Times reports.
“There have been well-publicized cases everyone knows about, thanks to the media coverage.”
Although Budanov did not specify exactly which individuals have been targeted, since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion last year, several prominent pro-Kremlin figures have been killed or wounded on Russian territory.
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Comments (11)
Mark Twain wrote similarly: "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
EU countries who were involved in the holocaust are very slow in providing Ukraine F-16 or their fighter jets and long-range missiles because Zelenskyy is very clannish-his Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Chief of Staff (just to name a few) are Jewish like himself. Elite Germans know that the elite European, Russian and Israeli Jews will do anything to avenge HOLOCAUST. Zelenskyy must move Resnikov to another Ministry that has nothing to do with Ukraine's defense and intelligence and infrastructure. Budanov then must replace Resnikov without delay-so those EU countries who were involved in the holocaust would be quicker and more aggressive in providing Ukraine their fighter jets and long-range missiles.
"In an exclusive comment to Kyiv Post"... Why not to BBC or NY Times? They are itching to know no less. Was it by phone or email? :)
Stephan Bandera. Cannot understand this at all.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-ukrainian-nationalists-march-in-in-honor-of-nazi-collaborator/
What am I missing? Wasn't he a Nazi?
Hopefully I won't be assassinated for asking this question...
Owl is the only bat hunting creature (on the wing)...Bat of the Russian military intelligence :-)
What is that weird painting on the wall on the right side in the first photo?
Let's see, is Putin still alive? There are so many body doubles, AI's and so much misinformation, little Putin is like a wave function in physics before it is measured. All we can say for certain is that whatever the Putin thing is, it is definitely evil. Everything the Russians say is propaganda or a lie or both. You cannot trust anything they say, but there are good indications that a whole generation of Russian young men are now gone, either killed in Ukraine or having fled abroad. Putin can keep us his despotic rule, but if the best of his country are gone, what good will that do him. We should all ignore the loud falsehoods coming from the old men in the Kremlin and watch the battlefield. Putin has already destroyed Russia and its hope for generations. Will he also try to destroy the world in a fit of pique because his weak and ill chosen invasion along with his incompetence have been exposed and failed? Stay tuned.
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Фейковое издание от инвестиционно-строительной компании Kadorr Group. Ну такое себе!
Is there any proof he is dead, in coma or Planung football?
Looks like a standart Rashist fake Story.
Correct: playing football, (dam autocorrection)
@Bamboo, u r n idiot
Where is the proof? Do you have a recording. They have the flight data to prove he was airlifted to Germany right? Seem like a cover up and he did pass or is in a coma. Could be easily proved with a video he is ok but make you wonder where you did not provide the evidence?
@Jason Tin,
@Jason Tin, What flight data? You must be a complete idiot if you believe in Russian propaganda. Why did the plane arrive at the Ramstein base instead of urgently flying to Berlin to the hospital, where the propagandists say Budanov was then brought? Filter the information, please