Kireev Denis Biography

A traitor or hero: as Denis Kireev did not allow Russia to capture Kyiv by the author of the summer banker Denis Kireev transmitted information from his Russian contacts, which helped the Ukrainian troops successfully protect his capital in February last year. Kireev was killed as a traitor, because he allegedly spied in favor of Moscow. However, they buried as a hero - President Vladimir Zelensky signed documents on the awarding of Kireev by a posthumous medal for "exceptional debt to protect state sovereignty and state security." This is stated in the article by The Wall Street Journal.

It is based on financial and intelligence documents and interviews with American and Ukrainian officials, operating and former employees of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, as well as family members, friends, guards and business partners of Kireev. See also: Google called the most popular requests of the year in Ukraine: that Ukrainians googled most often Kireev’s ambiguous personality for many years invested billions of dollars to penetrate the political and intelligence circles of Ukraine, trying to divide loyalty within Ukrainian spy agencies and create a network of agents in case Moscow decides to try to seize the country.

At different times, Kireev seemed to belong to each of the opposing camps. He exchanged his career in Western financial institutions for the management of money and assets of two rich brothers who had close ties with Ukrainian politicians who support Russia. This work paid for Kireev real estate, a car fleet and a vacation in Greece and Paris. It also threw a shadow on his reputation among officials and colleagues, concerned about Russian influence.

According to Budanov, then Kireev established ties with European special services, as well as with Russian military and officials. He also agreed to represent Kyiv in early negotiations in the cessation of fire between Russia and Ukraine - a risky and high -ranking task. Kireev “enjoyed the role,” said one of his friends. After the invasion of February 24, Kireev, who was in both countries, was in the center of events.

According to the people who worked with him, he was fit and sociable and skillfully worked with clients. Kireev spoke in Ukrainian, Russian, French and English. His relative in the year became deputy chief of the SBU. This connection fueled Kireev’s interest in espionage, his associates say. Critics claim that the SBU, which is now under the close attention of the government, has long been influenced by Moscow.

When in the spring of the year, Russia began to accumulate troops on the border with Ukraine, Budanov said that he called Kireev to the headquarters of military intelligence of Ukraine. According to him, Budanov asked Kireev to use his financial relations and security contacts in order to try to penetrate the military intelligence of Russia. Financial operations were carried out through it.

Therefore, he talked with everyone, including very influential people, ”Budanov said. Kireev agreed to go with him, guided by the duty and passion for the world of secret operations. The security group began to carry Mr. Kireev to Kharkov. There, according to Budanov and one of the bodyguards of Kireev, he and another employee of Ukrainian intelligence in a separate car crossed the border.

He returned a few days later and informed Budanov. The world of special services and the world of finance are always connected, like the world of crime, at least in our countries, ”Budanov said. In the fall of the year, when the American military and spy agencies began to warn about the Russian threat, Kireev learned from his sources that Moscow was preparing for the invasion and became the first to kill in Ukraine.