Bellingcat conducts its own investigation into poisoning of Ukrainian spy chief's wife

A team of investigators from Bellingcat is to conduct its own investigation into the poisoning of Marianna Budanova, the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence.

Source: Christo Grozev, a Bellingcat investigator, in a comment to Radio.Liberty

Details: Grozev confirmed that Bellingcat would conduct its own investigation jointly with a team from The Insider (an online media outlet specialising in investigative journalism, exposing fake news and fact-checking, founded by Russian journalist Roman Dobrokhotov and registered in Latvia).

Quote: "TheIns team and I are indeed conducting our own investigation, but there is so far no formal communication with Defence Intelligence of Ukraine."

More details: According to Ukrainska Pravda sources, no criminal proceedings concerning the poisoning have been filed by either the State Bureau of Investigations of Ukraine, the National Police, or the Security Service of Ukraine.

Background:

• Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that Marianna Budanova, wife of the Head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, has been diagnosed with heavy metal poisoning. She is alive and has undergone the first stage of treatment.

• Andrii Yusov, a representative of Defence Intelligence, later confirmed this information.

• One of Ukrainska Pravda’s sources said Budanova and several Defence Intelligence employees were poisoned with arsenic and mercury.

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