Russia tells US about Ukraine's 'covert operation', Washington asks Kyiv to stop - NYT

In July, Russia's new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov called Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Austin has spoken to the Russian defense minister on the phone only five times. Almost always, the Pentagon initiated the conversations.

Austin first contacted Russia's new defense minister on June 25. The US said it was trying to keep “lines of communication open.”

According to US officials, Belousov initiated the call on July 12. He said that the Russians had learned about a “covert operation” that Ukraine was allegedly preparing with the approval of the Americans. Belousov asked Austin whether the Pentagon was aware of the plot and that it could lead to an escalation of tensions between Moscow and Washington.

The NYT writes that Pentagon officials were surprised by this statement and they took it seriously.

“But whatever Mr. Belousov revealed, all three officials said, it was taken seriously enough that the Americans contacted the Ukrainians and said, essentially, if you’re thinking about doing something like this, don’t,” the article says.

It is unclear whether there was any real preparation for the operation and what form it could have taken. Representatives of the Pentagon and the White House say nothing has happened yet. But they refused to disclose the details of the conversation.

Backstory

On July 12, the Pentagon reported that Lloyd Austin had a telephone conversation with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. The US Department of Defense said that the conversation was initiated by Russia.

Andrei Belousov was appointed to the post of Russian Defense Minister in May this year. He replaced Sergei Shoigu, who was appointed by the Russian President as Secretary of the Russian Security Council.