According to Zaluzhnyi, the hidden bug was found on Sunday, Dec. 17, following a routine sweep of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The security service later reported that the discovered device was not working.
Suspicion about who planted the bug instantly fell on Russia, as the country is still dealing with the ongoing 22-month-long conflict between the two nations that is set to continue into the next year.
"I have several offices where I work. This happened in one of them," said Zaluzhnyi. "We checked [the room] and found [the bug]."
He added without going into specifics that listening devices were not only found in the office where he worked, strongly suggesting that other bugs were planted all over the Ministry of Defense building in Kyiv, which also serves as the headquarters of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. (Related: Ukraine's largest mobile network operator hit by massive cyberattack amid ongoing conflict with Russia.)
Criminal probe launched following discovery of listening device
The SBU announced that an investigation has been opened under an article in Ukraine's criminal code on the "unlawful acquisition, sale or use of special technical means for obtaining information."
"I [regard this] as a war. Anything can happen," said Zaluzhnyi in an interview with RBC Ukraine, where he noted that he had used the office where the bug was found before, but not recently, and he was supposed to work there again the day after the listening device was found. "The investigation will prove what [the bug] really was."
He denied that employees of the General Staff could have been involved in the planting of the listening device. He also said he did not believe state secrets were previously discussed in the office.
The SBU noted that when the "non-operational" listening device was found, security services analyzed the device and found that it had no means of information storage or remote transmission of audio recordings.
"We emphasize that the device was found not directly in Valerii Zaluzhnyi's office but in one of the premises that could have been used by him in the future for work," said the SBU in a statement. Officials are refusing to comment any further.
Russia's intelligence service has been very active since the beginning of the conflict with Ukraine. Kyiv claims that the Russian Federal Security Service has targeted Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov in assassination attempts at least 10 times. Last month, Budanov's wife had to be hospitalized after being diagnosed with heavy metals poisoning.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's intelligence service has reportedly been active in coordinating sabotage operations in Russia proper and in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
Follow UkraineWitness.com for more news about the ongoing Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
Watch the video below about the destruction of the SBU Office in Kharkiv.
This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
More related articles:
Europe is more vulnerable than ever before, with weapons and ammo supplies dwindling.
Diplomat proposes using Taylor Swift's massive fanbase to sway global opinion in favor of Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence claims Russian hackers are targeting Elon Musk's Starlink network.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.
