On January 27, UP reported, citing sources, about a closed meeting in parliament involving MPs and leaders of the Ukrainian army and security forces. One of the media sources mentioned that the most memorable response came from Budanov when asked, "how much time is left" for Ukraine, which is facing full-scale aggression from Russia. The head of the GUR reportedly replied that "if serious negotiations do not occur before summer, very dangerous processes for the very existence of Ukraine may begin."
Later on January 27, the Ukrainian military intelligence stated that the "alleged quote from Budanov from the closed, classified meeting of the Rada" does not correspond to reality.
The SBU press service reported that an investigation was opened on January 28 due to the information leak and concerns individuals who were directly entrusted with this information during the closed, classified meeting of the Rada.
The security agency added that the pre-trial investigation is ongoing and is being conducted under part 2 of Article 328 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (disclosure of state secrets leading to serious consequences).
The information from the SBU was commented on by the chief editor of UP, Sevgi Musaeva.
"We operate within the law and strictly adhere to professional journalism standards. UP, as always, stands by the protection of its information sources, which is guaranteed by current Ukrainian legislation and international legal norms. Freedom of speech and access to information for citizens are key values of a democratic society. 'Ukrainian Truth' remains true to its principles and will continue to carry out its work with integrity and responsibility," stated the representative of "Ukrainian Truth," which published the material about the closed meeting in the Rada.