Categories: ANALYTICS

Are we risking weakening GUR?

My biography has taken such a peculiar path that I’ve had the chance to work with various intelligence agencies: Soviet, Ukrainian, and American. So, I know for sure: the main problems for intelligence agencies arise when they are managed not by professionals but by politicians.

This very issue seems to have arisen with respect to the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, judging by the media reports.

Perhaps some people have complaints about certain statements made by the GUR leadership. But no one doubts the effectiveness of the intelligence agency itself. However, there’s now information circulating online that the Office of the President wants to increase its influence over the GUR.

And this is quite concerning. If these rumors are confirmed, it looks like an attempt to limit President Volodymyr Zelensky and the GUR in their sources of objective information.

The issue is about reassigning the system of military attachés, who work within embassies, from the GUR to the Ministry of Defense (read: the Office of the President, given the relationship between the OP and the Ministry of Defense). Currently, these attachés report to ambassadors in the internal affairs of the embassies, but their work in seeking, obtaining, and analyzing sensitive information that impacts Ukraine’s security and defense is directly coordinated with the GUR. This ensures not only efficiency but also secrecy, which means the safety of our intelligence officers and their agents.

And now, some obscure officials from the Ministry of Defense, often without the proper security clearance, are attempting to interfere in this well-established system that has been functioning for decades. Are they going to start assigning tasks to our intelligence officers abroad? Then they’ll decide what’s important and what’s not? And whether to pass the information up the chain or not to bother the leadership?

I’m sure everyone remembers examples of inappropriate political interference in intelligence affairs. Why repeat these mistakes now? Or is this move to increase administrative influence an echo of rumors that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi did not properly coordinate the Kursk operation plan with the OP?

It’s reported that the head of the OP has already held a meeting with the Ministry of Defense leadership regarding the reassignment of military attachés and the overall increase in administrative control over the GUR. However, it is clear that bureaucratic intrigues are exactly what should be avoided during wartime. This is worse than corruption. Even worse than betrayal. Because this is a mistake.

The link to the article is in the first comment.

Alexandr Kochetkov