Expert: Kremlin wanted to hit Budanov by liquidating Yusov

The attempt to eliminate the representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Andrii Yusov is an attempt by russian special services to strike at the position of the head of the Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, and the negotiation track he coordinates. This opinion was expressed by military expert Andrii Vasylchuk in his author blog, analyzing the details of the russian operation Enigma 2.0, which targeted a number of well-known people in Ukraine.

As the author emphasizes, "the removal of Yusov is an attempt to implement the strategy of "point paralysis of the system". According to him, if successful, such an operation "would inevitably weaken Budanov's position and hit the negotiation track and the process of prisoner exchange."

"People who work with intelligence understand that there are processes that are based on specific people. The exchange of prisoners, the negotiation track, communication with partners - all this has its "nodal points," Vasylchuk writes, adding that regardless of his position in the DIU, Yusov continues to be one of the key members of Budanov's team.

According to the expert, the elimination of Yusov would have a double effect: to sow panic among the Ukrainian elite, demoralize society and damage the reputation of the intelligence service. "Because if the intelligence service cannot protect its own, how can it protect the country? This is exactly the emotion that was counted on," Vasylchuk is convinced.

At the same time, the fact that the operation did not achieve its goal, according to him, testifies to the effectiveness of Ukrainian counterintelligence. However, the expert warns that the russians will try to act again, because it is part of their job, and they do not stop after the first failure.

So, according to Vasylchuk, instead of internal information wars, society should focus on countering the enemy, because every "leak" and public attack on the special services only plays into the hands of those who are preparing a new "Enigma."

It should be noted that, according to the information available in the media, the Enigma 2.0 operation is associated with military unit 29155, an elite unit of the russian GRU that specializes in liquidations abroad. Its soldiers are said to be involved in the explosions at ammunition depots in the Czech Republic, the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury, and the liquidation of Yevgeny Prigozhin. The head of the respective structure is Major General Andrey Averyanov, who is wanted in a number of European countries.