The UK foreign office said in a statement on Saturday that it has information the Russian government is planning to “install a pro-Russian leader in Kiev/Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine”
The real questions concern "What activities must take place in order for an overthrow with minimum, recognized Russian troop involvement? One activity is to draw the majority of loyal troops away from Kiev.
“The former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate,” the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement.
He ran his own TV channel called “Nash”, which was promoting Russian discourse on political events in Ukraine and the world, and also created a party “Nashi” – a homage to the Russian movement with the same name, created by Vladislav Surkov.
Muraev is pictured here promoting disinfo messages such as “Ukraine is civil war” and “Hostilities in Ukraine were orchestrated by the US”.
The Russian Response
Russia MFA says:
Disinformation circulated by the UK Gov is yet another indication that it is the @NATO Members led by the Anglo-Saxon nations who are escalating tensions around #Ukraine. We urge the Foreign Office to stop spreading nonsense.
Murayev: I have been under Russian sanctions since 2018 because of the conflict with Medvedchuk. My family’s assets have been seized there. How does the British intelligence services and the Foreign Office combine this with the fact that Russia allegedly wants to appoint me the head of the “occupation government” – this is a question for Mr. Bean.