Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said that he regularly communicated with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner PMC, and that their communication continued almost until the mercenaries’ mutiny against the Kremlin in 2023. This is stated in an article by The New York Times, reports UNN.
Details
Budanov spoke about his contacts with Prigozhin during a conversation with Andrew Kramer, a journalist for the publication. At the same time, the NYT does not provide direct quotes from the head of the OP regarding the content of these conversations and does not disclose their details.
According to the publication, the contacts continued almost until the Wagner PMC’s mutiny against the Russian authorities in 2023. Several weeks after the failed mutiny, Prigozhin was killed in a private plane crash.
Budanov also communicated with the head of Russia’s GRU
The head of the OP also told the NYT about direct contacts with Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russia’s military intelligence. According to him, they began in 2022 with the mediation of Turkey and concerned the opening of shipping routes in the Black Sea for grain exports.
Negotiations will sooner or later lead to something. One cannot wage war all one’s life
The publication does not specify whether Budanov’s direct contacts with Kostyukov are continuing now.