In February, as the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approached, Kyiv officials were preparing plans to launch retaliatory attacks against Moscow.
Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (HUR), ordered one of his officers “to get ready for mass strikes on 24 February … with everything the HUR had,” as reported in a classified U.S. National Security Agency document.
The officials even considered a largely symbolic sea-based strike using TNT in the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, highlighting Ukraine’s capability to target locations deep within Russian territory.
Unbeknownst to them, Washington was secretly keeping tabs on the Ukrainian plans, according to a report from The Washington Post.
U.S. officials had long held concerns that assaults within Russia might trigger a forceful reaction from the Kremlin.
In response, the CIA circulated a new classified report on Feb 22, stating that the HUR “had agreed, at Washington’s request, to postpone strikes” on Moscow.
These revelations come from a cache of classified information allegedly leaked on a gaming server by a 21-year-old member of the National Guard.
The documents do not provide specific details on who intervened or why the Ukrainian officials ultimately chose to comply with the request to stand down.
