Ukraine appears to confirm death of negotiator dubbed ‘traitor’ by media — RT

Kiev has said that Denis Kireev, a secret agent on a mission from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, has died. Earlier reports claimed that a man with the same name was killed by Ukrainian secret services as a suspected traitor.

Ukraine’s Chief Directorate of Intelligence said on Saturday that Kireev was among three agents killed in the line of duty. “They have died, protecting Ukraine,” the military intelligence agency wrote on social media, without elaborating.

News of Kireev’s death has caused some confusion after Ukrainian media initially reported that the country’s own domestic security service, the SBU, strongly believed Kireev was a spy and had killed him during an apparent arrest attempt.  

Ukrayinska Pravda newspaper quoted sources as saying that SBU agents had “clear” evidence of high treason and had tapped Kireev’s phone. However, other reports claimed that the SBU was not involved in the man’s death, and that someone wanted to frame the agency. The SBU has not commented on the matter.