Bezrukov demanded that the expected summit with Mr. Trump was shifted immediately to Dubai to prevent what he explained as an “absolutely treacherous operation” orchestrated by the British.
Concerns About Budapest
“I have very, very serious concerns about Budapest,” stated Mr. Bezrukov, whose identity was disclosed in 2010 when Russian glamour spy Anna Chapman, then holding British nationality, was detained by the FBI. Both agents were involved in a spy exchange with ten Russian operatives that same year. Today, 65-year-old Bezrukov serves as a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) simultaneously advising state oil giant Rosneft, as per the Express.
Claims on British Intentions
The Russian intelligence officer stated on state TV that the “entire mentality” of the British “is structured in such a way that if Putin doesn’t exist, then there’s no problem… firstly, Russia will fall apart.” He also mentioned that London’s elite “understand that Britain may soon cease to exist.”
Bezrukov explained:
“After all, the elite within it, which was a very, very organized gang, is now losing its power, not because it’s doing a poor job, but because the country itself is changing so drastically that it’s melting.And for them, a blow at us, including, well, an absolutely treacherous operation that could be carried out based on this meeting in Budapest, is a decision.”He further stated without evidence:
“And they will take it. They will risk everything, because they are risking everything now.
And so I would strongly advise against [Putin going to Budapest].”
Summit Alternatives Suggested
Bezrukov offered no substantiation for his allegations against the British. When he was questioned by President Putin’s TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov about how to avoid the alleged assassination challenges, he mentioned: “There’s a wonderful country called the United Arab Emirates [which could host the Trump-Putin talks].” Solovyov commented that Mr. Putin was “so brave” he might accept the danger of traveling to Budapest. Bezrukov said:
“Sometimes it’s not good… The Supreme Commander [Putin] represents the country, and here the interests of the country are more important than the courage of one person…”
Background on Bezrukov
Mr. Bezrukov earlier served as a KGB and SVR operative, functioning as an illegal ‘sleeper agent’ under the alias Donald Howard Heathfield along with his wife, Elena Vavilova, 62, also called Tracey Ann Foley. He also has a position in the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy and assigned a profitable advisory role with Rosneft chief Igor Sechin.
The pair moved from Canada to Cambridge, Massachusetts, raising two sons, Timothy and Alexander, who were not aware of their parents’ espionage. The sons currently hold Canadian passports. Notably, after his exposure, Bezrukov has reportedly visited Britain with a second Cypriot passport, as per the intelligence expert Sergey Kanev.
Putin’s First Budapest Visit Since 2022
A possible visit to Budapest would be Putin’s first since the outbreak of the war against Ukraine in February 2022. Hungary has assured Moscow that it will not implement an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Mr. Putin, which links to the reported unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-controlled regions, considered it a war crime.
FAQs:
1. Who is Vladimir Putin?
Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia.
2. What is the alleged threat in Budapest?
A “British assassination plot” is stated to target Putin if he visits Hungary for discussions with Donald Trump.