UK Slams Russian ‘Dirty Tricks’ As Fake Ukrainian PM Calls Defence Secretary

In a suspected Russian ruse, an impostor posing as Ukraine’s prime minister conned his way into a video conversation with the UK’s defence secretary.

Yesterday, Ben Wallace ordered an immediate investigation into the security breach.

According to a defense source, Mr Wallace engaged in a 10-minute conversation with the man, who looked to have gone to great lengths to imitate the real Ukrainian premier, Denys Shmyhal.

A Ukrainian flag had been placed behind the imposter as part of the ruse, and the man had used faked details from the Ukrainian embassy to appear authentic. The impostor asked questions related to Ukraine’s foreign policy, but Mr Wallace – who was on a visit to Poland when he took the call – soon became suspicious when the queries became more “wild”, the source added.

At one point he asked the defence secretary: “Did you get the substance we have sent?”

Mr Wallace responded by saying he did not know what the man was talking about.

The fraudster also started mentioning various names of people who the defence secretary had not heard of, according to the source. The call was promptly terminated.

The Ministry of Defence decided to make the existence of the bogus call public to expose the tactic.

Posting on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, Mr Wallace wrote: “Today an attempt was made by an imposter claiming to be Ukrainian PM to speak with me.

“He posed several misleading questions and after becoming suspicious I terminated the call. “No amount of Russian disinformation, distortion and dirty tricks can distract from Russia’s human rights abuses and illegal invasion of Ukraine. A desperate attempt.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel later revealed she had also recently been targeted by a hoax caller.

“This also happened to me earlier this week,” she posted in response to Mr Wallace’s tweet.

“Pathetic attempt at such difficult times to divide us. We stand with Ukraine.”

The MoD also publicised the call to Mr Wallace to raise awareness, in case the imposter attempts to exploit any of the video footage in a “deep fake” aimed at undermining international unity against Russia over its war in Ukraine, a second source said. Russia has a track record of using the information as a weapon – distorting audio or video footage to give a twisted or distorted narrative aimed at undermining or attacking an opponent.

The call was set up via Teams or some other form of the video conference. The MoD had arranged the call after being forwarded details of the approach from another government department. It is not clear how the imposter managed to trick MoD officials that he was the real Ukrainian prime minister.

Mr Wallace was in Poland on Thursday, where he announced the deployment of the Sky Sabre missile system, along with 100 troops.

Downing Street said the deployment of the ground-based air defence system would be “supporting the Polish armed forces at the request of the Polish government”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “It is, as ever, a purely defensive capability which we are providing on a bilateral basis to Poland. It will remain under UK control at all times.”

The spokesman added it was a “short-term deployment”.