Media: Ukrainian Intelligence Service recruited and brought to Ukraine former DPR Minister
One of the pro-Russian separatist leaders, Minister of Culture Yuri Lekstutes was evacuated from the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DRP). Ukrainian intelligence had reportedly recruited and brought to the controlled territory the man that should have replaced Alexander Zakharchenko as Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed state, TSN news program reports.
Lekstutes said that a real war is happening between various Kremlin influence centers—the FSB, GRU, military intelligence—for the Donbas. In 2014, he was offered the leadership of the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic). “GRU’s employee Ivanych introduced me as the future head of the ‘Republic’ and said this question was settled. I was promoted by the GRU (Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate), but they competed with the FSB,” he said.
According to Lekstutes, the offer came from the GRU’s supervisor of propaganda, video star and provocateur Maria Tsipko, also known as Maria Vykina, Bavykina and Tarasenko, with the promise of power support. "They called Khodakovsky’s and Bezler’s assistants and told them that they are, in fact, responsible for me," he said.
The FSB won in 2015 and Alexander Zakharchenko became the DPR leader. “After Surkov's question was resolved with Putin, I was of no interest to them. They put me in prison and were preparing to shoot me soon,” said the former minister.
Lekstutes was accused of forming a terrorist group in DPR. He became convinced that Ukraine-held territory was safer for him after the assassinations of separatist commanders Givi, Motorola, Mozgovoy and others. “His guarantees are a generous variety of details and facts that he can provide for the planning of future operations of Ukrainian counterintelligence,” TSN said.