The wife of Ukraine’s intelligence chief has been diagnosed with heavy metal poisoning and is receiving treatment in a hospital, an agency spokesman said, as the country’s war with Russia drags into its 22nd month.
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Marianna Budanova is the wife of Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Military Intelligence agency known in Ukrainian as GUR. Her condition was confirmed to The Associated Press by agency spokesman Andrii Yusov.
Yusov did not provide further details about the alleged poisoning, nor did he say who might be behind it.
Earlier this year, the spokesman told Ukrainian media that the head of Military Intelligence had survived 10 assassination attempts carried out by the Russian state security service, or FSB.
Previously, Budanov had also told local media that his wife lives with him in his office, which could suggest that she was the intended target of the poisoning.
Russia had no immediate comment on the poisoning claim. Russian media and commentators echoed the Ukrainian reports, with some speculating that it was part of internal fighting in Ukraine.
Heavy metals from ingestion would have caused the poisoning
Local media, citing their sources at GUR, said Budanova was hospitalized in kyiv.
The exact nature of the heavy metals that caused the poisoning has not been made public. However, local media said the metals were not used domestically or in military equipment, so GUR representatives assume the poisoning was carried out intentionally, possibly through food or drink.
In addition to Budanova, several members of the GUR were also diagnosed with the same poisoning, according to the local newspaper ‘Ukrainska Pravda’.
The GUR was expected to issue an official statement with more details.
The suspicion of poisoning opponents has long been part of the Kremlin’s arsenal.
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