MOSCOW, Nov 26 - In a significant development on Wednesday, Russia condemned the leak of a recording from a conversation between senior advisers to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, labeling it as an unacceptable maneuver designed to undermine ongoing Ukraine peace negotiations. This incident has been described by Russian officials as a form of hybrid warfare.
According to a report by Bloomberg, which claimed to have reviewed the leaked recording, the means by which it obtained access to such a sensitive conversation between top officials of the world's two largest nuclear powers remains undisclosed. Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Putin, expressed his outrage, stating that his conversations with Steve Witkoff were never intended for public release and should not have been disclosed. "This is unacceptable," Ushakov remarked during an interview with Russian media.
Ushakov emphasized that the leak was a deliberate act aimed at obstructing critical discussions between Russia and the United States. In a detailed interview with Kommersant, he explained that many of his discussions were conducted over encrypted government channels which are seldom intercepted. "These channels are typically secure and leaks only occur when one party intentionally exposes the information," he noted. He also mentioned the use of platforms like WhatsApp, acknowledging that while they could be susceptible to interception, the likelihood is minimal.
Addressing the leak's origin, Ushakov categorically ruled out the possibility that any of the call participants were responsible and indicated that he would be discussing the issue with Witkoff directly. Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a key envoy for Putin's investments, dismissed Bloomberg's report concerning an October 29 call between himself and Ushakov as completely fabricated.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov further asserted that certain media organizations are being manipulated as instruments in a hybrid information war orchestrated by European nations against Russia, aimed at damaging diplomatic relations with Washington. As of now, Bloomberg has not responded to requests for comments regarding the Russian accusations or the methods used to obtain the recordings.
The Kommersant newspaper, known for its extensive Kremlin coverage, highlighted the incident with a headline asking, "Who set up Steve Witkoff?" This question encapsulates the intrigue and tension surrounding the leak and its implications for international relations.
Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow; Writing contributions by Mark Trevelyan, Gleb Bryanski, and Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Mark Trevelyan.