Posted on 03/09/2015 7:26:13 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Oleksandr Skipalsky now acts as Adviser of the military
Father of Russian military intelligence, Lieutenant General Alexander Skipalsky - speaks about the work of the Russian special services in Ukraine
Lieutenant-General Alexander Skipalsky, though is considered one of the most public members of the retired secret service, agreed immediately to an interview.
Says does not want to strongly criticize the current government, although, in his opinion, is for what.
Then, after all agreeing, their answers he generously dilutes the story of the long conversations in the offices of private institutions, without naming, however, the names of the participants. Recognizes that now he is thinking about how to write a book about the specifics of his relationship in the security services.
Skipalsky rightly called the father of Ukrainian military intelligence. In 1992 he founded and headed the Defence Intelligence Ministry of Defense, which was headed for five years. Then double was the deputy head of the SBU, and in the mid 2000? S headed one of the most difficult of the SBU - Donetsk. Of course, if you have worked for 20 years in the KGB and then take the oath of allegiance to Ukraine, it does not provide clean frames
Former intelligence understands the specifics and methods of work of the Russian secret service - he studied at the Faculty of counterintelligence at the Graduate School of the KGB. However, adheres to pro-Ukrainian views: after returning to service in Ukraine openly supported the restructuring and the creation of an independent country.
Today Skipalsky headed Union of Officers of Ukraine and is considered one of the most informed security forces of the country. However, a conversation with HB did not start with this, and with the events that have become history.
- Why, in your opinion, not intelligence warned that Russia is preparing to send troops in Donbass?
- The last few years in our exploration to form relationships to GRU [Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Federation] as a friendly and brotherly structure. Even my colleagues from the veterans' movement - the former chief of military intelligence - in conversations with veterans GRU spoke, saying, I do not know, I'm Ukrainian or Russian spy. Although, as far as I know, some reports all? Did was - from the border and military intelligence.
- That is the mental separation of the KGB of the USSR and the USSR after the collapse of the Soviet Union? Not really happen?
- Of course, if you have worked for 20 years in the KGB and then take the oath of allegiance to Ukraine, it does not ensure the purity of the frame - a person can not be reconstructed in three months. On the one hand, I am not a supporter of radical cleansing - a good thing that we did not have a hard lustration in Poland or the Czech Republic. On the other - I have always believed that it is necessary to conduct internal lustration. Every manager and operational employee must define their agents, to understand whether it is able to accept the reality of an independent state, or so mired in the old system that can no longer be cleansed.
Unfortunately, the leadership of the SBU did not find the courage to carry out such internal lustration. When I? Then witnessed a conversation in the office of the head of the SBU: in response to the example of a successful operation carried out by Russian colleagues, one of the deputy chairmen, said: "Yes, it is high time to end this experiment with an independent Ukraine!" I was most impressed that the then head of the SBU answer simply remained silent. This all led to the degradation of service and eventually to the fact that she was unable to perform the task of defending the country.
- How strong was the influence of FSB security services in Ukraine?
- First, the relationship was more corporate: friendly, with no apparent aggression. But with the coming to power in Russia, Vladimir Putin started this fraternization - collective trip, booze, Declaration on joint work against Chechnya and the United States. All this puts the Ukrainian security service in the role of maidens.
After the tape scandal Leonid Kuchma fired Leonid Derkach [head of the SBU in 1998-2001] and appointed Igor laugh. But it did not help - the Russian agents in the environment of the president simply did not allow him to escape from the clutches of Russia.
And after the Orange Revolution, a period of the SBU this degradation - to head the service appointed laymen: Turchinov Drizhchany, Nalivaychenko, Khoroshkovsky, Yakimenko ...
I will not reveal more secrets if I say that from the moment that came to power Viktor Yushchenko, and to this day at the head of the SBU had at least two former KGB agent. I'm not talking about agents in the president's entourage. For the acquisition of the Russian secret services agents in the highest political circles has always been considered aerobatics. Today, we are reaping the fruits of this work.
- That is the secret services, military counter-intelligence and deliberately destroyed?
- This was a good intention optimization. The army destroyed under the pretext that there is no one to attack. And since there is no threat of war, military counterintelligence why? This is all the links of one chain. The key to everything going on, of course, was in the mind of Putin, the FSB and the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia.
- In one interview you said that in 1992 warned of the possibility of war in the Donbass. That is, it could have been prevented?
- Yes, I am, as the chief of counterintelligence, wrote this report. Reported that in the event of an attack, we can not protect the region. We did not have any military units, no well-guarded borders. And the objective factors sooner or later be forced to try to separate Russia from the Ukrainian Donbass. In SBU adopted a resolution that this is a serious question, and it should be developed. But then I went to the military intelligence, so do not even know what efforts were made.
- In 2006, you headed the SBU Donetsk management. What then was the situation?
- All have worsened. Spirit of an independent state was not even close. And all pro-Ukrainian destroyed. For example, in the early 2000? S SBU held in Donetsk operation to discredit the organization Trident them. Bandera, which later was born right quadrant. Them through agents planted weapons and with the support of local authorities started a high-profile trial. At the same time, future organizers DNR trained in suburban camps, and with them no one even tried to fight. I will not reveal more secrets if I say that from the moment that came to power Viktor Yushchenko, and to this day at the head of the SBU had at least two former KGB agent
After I started working in the region, the head of the SBU Valentin Nalyvaychenko invited me to move to Kiev. He said he needed my experience, although a clear direction that I had to deal with, and not chosen. Then I began to develop an archive of KGB agents, consisting of citizens of Ukraine, which continue to keep in touch with Russia. Within a few months of work, we have identified five active characters, and at the same time I learned about his dismissal. And told me about it Nalivaychenko, and one of the journalists. Instead, I was appointed to this position by Valery Khoroshkovsky.
- Now, in time of war, military intelligence and counterintelligence, in your estimation, are effective?
- I take my hat off to the military intelligence and SBU, which are in the ranks and fight. Many of those who once pushed, now called. Even some generals. Ukrainian intelligence and counterintelligence now being revived, and they will be strong if the president will understand the importance of these structures.
- How would you advise the authorities to act now?
- To seek support from local elites. Seek out and put at the head of people like Igor Kolomoisky - those who, defending your business, protect Ukraine. He's realized that with the advent of pro-Russian forces in the Dnipropetrovsk region will lose everything. Here coincided public and private interests. Akhmetov could prevent what is happening in the Donbas
- Why, then, Rinat Akhmetov failed to protect the Donbass? He, too, is losing because of the war.
- With all the ability to make money it is not counted threat. Akhmetov could prevent what is happening in the Donbass. He had a large number of armed men. Remember how bravely he behaved when in 2005 Lutsenko attempted to call his company on an armored personnel carrier. But Akhmetov was sure that all the controls and turned to Russia only six.
- Do you think if we analyze Putin's actions, what is its purpose?
- The strategic goal of Putin - to destroy the independence of Ukraine. At least put a puppet government there and to avoid in this area of European influence, as a maximum - to dismember the country or even turn it into Russia. It will do harm to the last, to prevent the formation of Ukraine as a developed European country. While Russia led by Putin, we will be able to pre-emptive war
While Russia will lead Putin, we will be in a preventive war. Even if the world community will cause it to remove its troops from the territory of Ukraine, we will still feel the pressure and active subversion in all directions.
Over the past ten years I have said that the only country that conducts reconnaissance and subversive activities against Ukraine - Russia. Do you understand what it means when an old and experienced general says "intelligence and subversive activities"? This means that the goal - to break and destroy.
Five questions Alexander Skipalsky
- The main event in your life?
- There were a lot. I guess if you do not pass on personal, the main event - the independence of Ukraine.
- What is your favorite city?
- Lviv. I worked there as a young man. Lviv - this is Europe, I like it there.
- What move around the city?
- By car. I have a Mercedes-Benz GLK 350.
- Your personal monthly cost of living?
- About 20 thousand. UAH.
- What do you aim to achieve?
-I've just reached.
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