AN IMPOSTOR POSING as Ukraine’s prime minister tricked his way onto a video call with British defence secretary Ben Wallace, who blamed Russian “dirty tricks” on the hoax.
Wallace has ordered an immediate inquiry to find out how the impostor was able to speak to him, after being put through to a video call which lasted around 10 minutes.
He revealed he had been targeted by the hoax call in a Twitter post, saying he became suspicious and terminated the call after “several misleading questions”.
Wallace said that that the hoax was a “desperate attempt” and that “no amount of Russian disinformation, distortion and dirty tricks” could distract from the situation in Ukraine.
Responding to the report, home secretary Priti Patel also said she had also been targeted by a call from an impostor earlier this week.
“Pathetic attempt at such difficult times to divide us. We stand with Ukraine.”
The fact that a hoax caller was able to speak directly to the defence secretary has raised security questions in the UK, particularly given Wallace’s suggestion that Russia was behind it.
The video call was set up after an email, purportedly sent from an aide at the Ukrainian embassy, was sent to a government department and then forwarded to the Ministry of Defence.
The call was set up and Wallace was put through on Microsoft Teams to the “prime minister of Ukraine”, posing with the country’s flag behind him.
After initial introductions and thanks for the UK’s support, Wallace is understood to have became suspicious as the man started asking questions about British policy and eventually urged the Defence Secretary to shout slogans.
The level of sophistication involved in the hoax has convinced Government sources that it was a Russian plot.
Senior Ministry of Defence sources fear Moscow may attempt to splice together Wallace’s comments in an attempt to embarrass him.
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