Is it true that the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry admitted Kyiv’s involvement in the bombing of the Crimean Bridge?

Many Russian media reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, in a conversation with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, admitted that the explosion of the Crimean bridge was organized by Kiev. We checked whether such a conclusion can really be drawn from Kuleba’s statement.

On October 13, several Russian federal media reported that Dmitry Kuleba admitted Kyiv’s involvement in the bombing of the Crimean Bridge on October 8. Such headlines were published, for example, “Vedomosti", "RIA Novosti", "Moskovsky Komsomolets" And "Vesti.Krym" They drew this conclusion from video conversations Kuleby with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, who called the minister on behalf of former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul. On the day the video was published, pranksters were invited to “Channel One“, where the presenter summed up Kuleba’s words (4:25): “... All the terrorist attacks in Belgorod and in Crimea - and the explosion of the Crimean bridge was on October 8 - are the work of Ukraine. This is official recognition." The Telegram channel made the same conclusion “War on fakes" Users social networks Same reacted to the news: “We already knew that these bastards were behind the murder of Dasha Dugina and the explosion of the Crimean Bridge. Now, as they say, it’s captured on film.”

Alexey Stolyarov and Vladimir Kuznetsov, known as Lexus and Vovan, are Russian pranksters who use fake video calls to prank celebrities, politicians and public figures. By their own words, they work for the Gazprom-owned Internet platform RuTube, engaged in “civil intelligence” and “political prank.” Some sources thinkthat the duo is basically plays out critics of the Russian regime, trying to trick them into incriminating confessions.

On October 13, Vovan and Lexus posted video recording their conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. They called him on behalf of former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, speaking Russian with a fake American accent. Kuleba has not yet confirmed or denied that he became a victim of pranksters. But in many ways we consider the video recording to be real, although it has been edited: footage immediately before and after fragment about the explosions in Crimea were cut off.

In the pasted fragment, Kuleba says: “If, for example, you ask me who is blowing up something in Crimea or Belgorod, then in private communication - as private as it can be in Zoom - I will tell you that yes, it’s us.” It was this statement that the media interpreted as Kuleba’s admission of Kyiv’s involvement in blowing up the Crimean Bridge. Some media also claimed, that the confession came in response to a specific question: “Did Ukraine organize a terrorist attack on a bridge in Crimea and at a warehouse in the Belgorod region?” But in fact, the Crimean Bridge was not mentioned even once in the 21-minute “full” video. We were only talking about Crimea.

Prankers: What do you think: Is Crimea a goal or not an immediate goal?

Kuleba: No, I think that Crimea is not an immediate operational target.

Prankers: But there are attacks, I know, there is reconnaissance and there are cases of sabotage. I am aware that some work is being done there. And now many people are in Russia specifically for intelligence purposes.

(Frame stitching.)
Kuleba: If, for example, you ask me who is blowing up something in Crimea or Belgorod, then in private communication - as private as it can be in Zoom - I will tell you that yes, it’s us.
(Frame stitching.)

There could be no talk about the explosion of the Crimean Bridge in this video, primarily because the video was recorded before the explosion. At the beginning of the interview (0:55) Kuleba says that in the first half of October he is going on a working tour of Africa, which should pass from October 3 to October 12. Therefore, the video was recorded earlier than October 3, while the bridge explosion occurred on October 8. At the time of the explosion of the Crimean Bridge, Kuleba was just on the very tour that he had to interrupt due to the escalation of the conflict.

Most likely, by explosions in Crimea, Kuleba meant missile attacks on Crimean air bases that took place 9, 16, 26 and 28 August, September 30 And October 1. On the day of publication, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially took claims responsibility for only one explosion in Saki on August 9. Ukraine has not yet officially admitted responsibility for the remaining explosions in Crimea and the Belgorod region, as well as for the explosion of the Crimean bridge, except tweet Mikhail Podolyak, clearly satisfied with what had happened. However, even such a statement cannot be considered an official admission of guilt. But Russian President Vladimir Putin the very next day after the explosion accused Ukrainian intelligence services.

Thus, Kuleba did not admit Ukraine’s guilt in the incident on the Crimean Bridge. Most likely, the source of the error was the incorrect interpretation of his words about Ukrainian operations in Crimea, which fit into the Russian political narrative.

Cover image: "Channel One»

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Meduza. “You have to approach totalitarianism in a glamorous way” Pranksters Vovan and Lexus told Meduza about their activities
2. Is it true that the crying Russian tourist from the viral video “I don’t want to leave Crimea at all” left Crimea because of the explosions?