Origin of wiretapping devices found in Zaluzhny's office unknown

Wiretappiung devices were found in the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, RBC Ukraine reports citing a source in military circles. Other devices were also found in his employees' offices.

The Security Bureau of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed the discovery of wiretapping devices.

The SBU later said that the device was found in a room that Zaluzhny could use for his work in the future.

The found device was inoperative. Officers did not find any data storage or remote control means.

Ukraine's former Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said that there were incidents in the past when secret information would leak from military headquarters.

The wiretapping devices were found amid reports of a growing conflict between Zaluzhny and Zelensky. Such reports began to appear in November, when Zaluzhny told The Economist that the Ukrainian army would not be able to achieve a breakthrough in hostilities. By all estimates, the Ukrainian troops should have "reached Crimea, fought in Crimea, and returned from Crimea” within four months, Zaluzhny said.

Instead, the Ukrainian military personnel get stuck in minefields, and Russian artillery and aviation destroy military hardware that Ukraine receives from Western countries, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted.

It was reported afterwards that the conflict between Zelensky and Zaluzhny could evolve into a political rivalry. It also transpired that Zelensky could try to dismiss Zaluzhny from the post of the commander-in-chief.

At the same time, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Alexei Danilov said that statements about the conflict between the military and political leadership of Ukraine were absolutely groundless. The presence of controversial issues and the lack of solutions in a number of areas does not mean that there is a split growing in the leadership, the official said.